The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and an inadequate medical examination. The Veteran's non-VA chiropractic records need to be obtained, as well as relevant VA records since May 2021. A new opinion from a qualified clinician is needed regarding whether the low back disorder had onset in active service or is otherwise causally related to active service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the AOJ failed to properly assist the Veteran by not obtaining all non-VA chiropractic records and relying on an incomplete record for a negative nexus opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc disease (DDD) and spondylosis, lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 20, 2022
- Citation
- 22059180
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 22059180.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to comply with a prior remand order. The Veteran's low back disability claim is now before the Board for further review.
- Denied
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- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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