The Board remands the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and cervical spine disorder due to deficiencies in the previous VA opinions.
The deciding factor: The October 2019 VA examiner's opinion was inadequate, and additional evidence needs to be obtained regarding the Veteran's back pain and the nature of his L5 pars defect.
- Claimed conditions
- Lumbar spine disorder, Cervical spine disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 9, 2023
- Citation
- 23001263
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.
- Granted
The Board granted initial ratings of 40 percent for lumbar spine disorder, 70 percent for major depressive disorder, and 40 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy. TDIU and SMC based on housebound status were also granted.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an increased rating for allergic rhinitis and remanded the claims for cervical spine, hip, thigh, and hip extension disorders for further development.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a right knee disorder, and a lumbar spine disorder.
- Partly granted
The appeal was denied for service connection of a cervical spine disorder, and several claims were remanded for further development.
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