The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and clarification regarding the Veteran's low back disorder, including whether scoliosis/rotoscoliosis is a congenital defect or disease, and the relationship between in-service complaints and current diagnoses.
The deciding factor: Further clarification is needed on whether scoliosis/rotoscoliosis is a congenital defect or disease, and if so, whether it was aggravated by service. The Board also needs to determine the likelihood that current back disorders are due to June 1982 injury in Korea.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the spine, Degenerative Arthritis of the spine, IVDS (Intervertebral Disc Syndrome), Spinal Stenosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 14, 2023
- Citation
- 23060797
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 23060797.
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 service connection for a neck injury, including degenerative arthritis, IVDS, spinal stenosis, and history of spinal fusion, based on the evidence showing chronicity since service.
- Denied
The Board has denied the claim for service connection for low back disability, finding that there is not sufficient evidence to establish a link between the current condition and active military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him so helpless as to require the regular aid and attendance of another person, warranting special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance (SMC) at rate SMC(l).
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and a TDIU, finding that the evidence did not support higher disability ratings or total unemployability.
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