The Board has remanded the cases for obtaining additional private treatment records and providing an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed back and left shoulder disabilities.
The deciding factor: The decision was remanded due to failure to obtain all available private treatment records from the Veteran, including those from a chiropractor who moved to New Orleans in the late 1990s.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of L4-5 and L5-S1, Left shoulder impingement syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 8, 2024
- Citation
- 24001171
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,861 · Granted: 27% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 24001171.
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 service-connected disabilities require the aid and attendance of another person, warranting special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for hypertension and remanded claims related to a low back disability, bilateral shoulder impingement syndrome, and other conditions due to insufficient evidence.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for VR&E benefits was denied because she did not have an employment handicap and was able to obtain suitable employment consistent with her abilities, aptitudes, and interests.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an increased rating of 20 percent, but no higher, for left shoulder impingement syndrome and denied the other claims.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.