The Board remands the claim for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's low back strain is related to his military service, as it worsened during service.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the Veteran had a pre-existing condition and that his symptoms worsened during service, thus meeting the McLendon standard for an examination.
- Claimed conditions
- low back strain
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 20, 2025
- Citation
- A25053756
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 render him unable to follow and secure substantially gainful employment, thus a total disability rating for individual unemployability is granted.
- Dismissed
The veteran withdrew the appeal for service connection for left knee patellar femoral syndrome, right knee patellar femoral syndrome, low back strain, and right hip bursitis.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, but granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including migraines, OSA, a neck condition, left ankle sprain, low back strain, bilateral foot and knee conditions, right shoulder condition, left shoulder condition, and bilateral hearing loss, as VA failed to provide adequate examinations.
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