The Board has remanded the case for a retrospective medical opinion to determine the severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability between April 2003 and September 2011, as the rating criteria were amended in 2003.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on the need for a retrospective medical opinion due to changes in the rating criteria for spinal injuries that became effective in 2003.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, residuals of fracture L-4
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 20, 2022
- Citation
- 22070693
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 22070693.
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
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- Granted
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