The Veteran's radiculopathy and sciatica are being remanded for additional examination to determine their etiology, as the April 2010 VA examination report was incomplete. The sleep apnea claim is also being remanded due to inadequate explanation in the Board's decision.
The deciding factor: The Board found the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of radiculopathy or sciatica and failed to address whether her symptoms were related to service-connected shoulder disabilities, as well as the lack of an examination for sleep apnea.
- Claimed conditions
- radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, radiation of pain to the left arm from service-connected shoulder impingement syndrome, radiation of pain to the right arm from service-connected shoulder impingement syndrome, sciatica of the left lower extremity, sciatic nerve pain and radicular symptoms in both legs
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 13, 2017
- Citation
- 1721516
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 1721516.
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 claims for service connection for lumbar spine condition, sciatica of the bilateral lower extremities, and bilateral hips due to outstanding VA records. The Veteran's treatment records from Fayetteville VAMC need to be re-associated with the claims file.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to multiple service-connected disabilities, including radiculopathy of the upper and lower extremities and low back condition. The Veteran is also granted a TDIU due to his inability to maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him substantially confined to his dwelling and immediate premises prior to his death, granting entitlement to special monthly compensation (SMC) based on housebound status for accrued purposes.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for a teeth disability, sciatica of the right lower extremity, and sciatica of the left lower extremity are being remanded due to the need for additional development.
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