The Board has remanded the Veteran's appeal to obtain medical nexus opinions regarding the etiology of his thoracolumbar spine disabilities, including spina bifida occulta. The AOJ must ensure that VA fulfills its duty to assist and obtain updated treatment records.
The deciding factor: The April 2023 VA opinion is inadequate due to a lack of objective medical evidence supporting the Veteran's reports of low back pain since his in-service injury, and the Board directed further clarification on whether spina bifida occulta is a congenital disease or defect that pre-existed service.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain, intervertebral disc syndrome, spinal stenosis, anterolisthesis, spina bifida occulta
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 28, 2023
- Citation
- 23041567
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 23041567.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for lumbosacral strain, asthma, melasma and hydradenitis, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression, anxiety, and stress), left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, a left foot disorder, and IBS have been granted. The remaining issues are remanded.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew their appeal for service connection of a lumbosacral strain, resulting in the dismissal of this issue.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, finding that it is related to his in-service injury. The claimant did not contest this decision.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, including degenerative arthritis and IVDS. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service injury during active duty and his continuous symptoms since then.
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