The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected degenerative disc disease L4-L5, with lumbar strain, myositis, spondylosis, and arthritis is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.
The deciding factor: The most recent VA examination was conducted in May 2007 and is now eight years old. The neurological evaluation on this examination was limited and did not identify any radiculopathy attributable to the lumbar spine. The rating criteria for the Veteran's back disability state that associated objective neurologic abnormalities are to be evaluated separately under an appropriate diagnostic code.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease L4-L5, with lumbar strain, myositis, spondylosis, and arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 17, 2015
- Citation
- 1516568
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1516568.
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
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