The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical records and a need for an updated VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's back disorder.
The deciding factor: Incomplete medical records affect the Board's ability to fully assess the probative weight of positive opinions, necessitating a new examination.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar facet arthropathy, degenerative disc disease with disc herniation
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 26, 2026
- Citation
- A26017483
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 A26017483.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to inadequate examinations, including those related to his lumbar spine and right leg sciatica. The claims are being returned for further examination and opinion.
- Partly granted
The claim for service connection for lumbar facet arthropathy can be readjudicated due to new evidence, but the claim for degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome, lumbar facet arthropathy, and low back pain is denied.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability, diagnosed as lumbar spondylosis, degenerative disc disease, and lumbar facet arthropathy, is related to service. Service connection for this condition is granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected back condition has been rated at 40 percent since May 6, 2014. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for any period during this time frame.
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