The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of any neurological disability of the left lower extremity. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for lumbosacral strain prior to January 30, 2014, and for neurological impairment of the left lower extremity are being remanded as they are inextricably intertwined.
The deciding factor: The Court found that there was no plausible basis in the record for the Board's April 2014 conclusion regarding the credibility of the Veteran's reports of functional loss due to his back disability and contradictions between his complaints of numbness in his lower extremities and objective evidence. The Court also noted that the Board failed to properly consider the Veteran's entitlement to a separate rating for neurological impairment of the left lower extremity as secondary to the lower back disability.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain, neurological impairment of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 3, 2017
- Citation
- 1706615
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 1706615.
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 connection claims for lumbosacral strain, asthma, melasma and hydradenitis, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression, anxiety, and stress), left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, a left foot disorder, and IBS have been granted. The remaining issues are remanded.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew their appeal for service connection of a lumbosacral strain, resulting in the dismissal of this issue.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, finding that it is related to his in-service injury. The claimant did not contest this decision.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, including degenerative arthritis and IVDS. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service injury during active duty and his continuous symptoms since then.
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