The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for ankylosing spondylitis of the cervical spine, lumbar spine, and bilateral hip condition due to in-service infections or exposure to herbicide agents. The AOJ must obtain a new medical opinion addressing the etiology of these conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the existing opinions were inadequate as they did not address the Veteran's lay testimony regarding his assertions that his current cervical spine, lumbar spine, and bilateral hip conditions may be related to his active service.
- Claimed conditions
- ankylosing spondylitis of the cervical spine, ankylosing spondylitis of the lumbar spine, bilateral hip condition
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 20, 2023
- Citation
- 23039937
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 23039937.
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 has determined that the Veteran's ankylosing spondylitis of the lumbar spine is related to service and grants service connection for this condition.
- Granted
The Veteran's headaches, bilateral hip condition, lumbosacral strain, left knee condition, and left ankle strain are all granted as secondary to service-connected PTSD. A disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD is also granted.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for heart condition has been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral ankle condition has been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for back condition has been denied.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hip condition has been denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for neck, heartburn (acid reflux), bilateral hip condition, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and bilateral knee conditions have all been denied.,Service connection has not been established for any of the claimed conditions.
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