The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a new examination to assess the severity of his service-connected low back strain, including any associated degenerative disc disease or arthritis. Additionally, a TDIU claim prior to July 27, 2019, will be remanded due to inconsistencies in the record and need for further development.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's appeal involves both an increased rating for his service-connected low back strain and a TDIU claim prior to July 27, 2019. The current evidence is insufficient to determine the severity of these conditions without additional examination and review of relevant records.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back strain, Degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar/lumbosacral spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 7, 2022
- Citation
- 22067585
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 22067585.
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 Veteran's hearing loss and low back strain claims are remanded for further evaluation. The hearing loss claim is denied, while the low back strain claim requires additional examination to determine its severity.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for low back strain, left shoulder, and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) based on evidence showing a causal relationship to in-service events or injuries.
- Dismissed
The appeal is dismissed because the March 2020 rating decision, which granted service connection for a low back strain, was never issued and therefore not an appealable decision.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial rating for his service-connected low back strain was denied, as the current severity of his condition does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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