The Board has remanded the claim for another examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and its combined effects on his occupational functioning. The AOJ must secure opinions addressing as the individual impact of specific service-connected disabilities on the Veteran's ability to work, including sedentary work suitable to supervisory, training, and/or analyst-related tasks.
The deciding factor: The Board found that another examination is necessary due to material changes in the Veteran's lumbar spine disability since July 2022 and to determine the effect of his back condition on his ability to work.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left toe disability, right toe disability, left hand disability, right ear vertigo, right hip disability, right thigh disability, left hip disability, left thigh disability, left lateral trunk scar, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 17, 2023
- Citation
- 23056631
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 23056631.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities to the AOJ for further development and consideration of evidence not previously considered.
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