The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine with intervertebral disc syndrome is currently rated at 10 percent prior to January 4, 2017, and 20 percent thereafter. The Board has remanded this issue for further consideration.
The deciding factor: The May 2023 VA examination indicated that the Veteran's condition had a functional impact due to pain, with flare-ups causing severe pain and difficulty sleeping.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Arthritis of the Spine with Intervertebral Disc Syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 16, 2023
- Citation
- 23045564
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 23045564.
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 Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent effective from August 21, 2023. The TDIU award is granted with an effective date of August 21, 2023, the same day service connection for PTSD was established. SMC at the housebound rate is also granted.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeal of service connection for a low back disability.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for PTSD was denied, and his TDIU claim has been rendered moot due to the combined schedular disability rating of 100 percent. His DEA benefits were also denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates are inextricably intertwined with other issues on appeal and must be remanded. The AOJ is instructed to obtain a medical opinion regarding when the Veteran's service-connected disorders first manifested, readjudicate the 1981 claim, and readjudicate all of the herein issues on appeal.
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