The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for lumbosacral strain (claimed as a back condition) due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether it is related to military service or aggravated by preexisting scoliosis.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion was inadequate and did not address the Veteran's lay statements and private medical opinion regarding her experience of pain during military training activities.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain (claimed as a back condition), scoliosis
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 18, 2024
- Citation
- A24019771
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 A24019771.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition, including degenerative disc disease and scoliosis, due to lack of current disability evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to deficiencies in the duty to assist, and will require a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's pre-existing scoliosis and/or additional lumbar vertebra clearly and unmistakably existed prior to service and whether any increase in severity during service was due to natural progression.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, scoliosis and compression fracture of T5 and L2, cervical strain, herniation to C5-6, and narrowing at C3-5, and right knee strain. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible reports of symptoms during active duty.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluation of unspecified depressive and anxiety disorder, service connection for scoliosis, and costochondritis are dismissed.
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