The Veteran's claim for service connection for left lower extremity sciatica has been denied as there is no current diagnosis of the claimed disability. The claims for right lower extremity sciatica, low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, severe non-proliferative diabetic neuropathy, and tinnitus have also been remanded due to lack of a statement of the case.
The deciding factor: The Veteran does not have a current left lower extremity sciatica disability as established by medical evidence. The claim is denied based on the absence of a current diagnosis.
- Claimed conditions
- Left lower extremity sciatica, Mild degenerative disc disease L4-L5
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- May 17, 2018
- Citation
- 18102721
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 18102721.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for degenerative arthritis with lumbosacral strain, left lower extremity sciatica, and right lower extremity sciatica have been dismissed.,The Veteran's TDIU claim has been granted from September 16, 2011.,The Veteran's SMC based on housebound criteria has been granted effective from March 13, 2024.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and left lower extremity sciatica, finding that there is a nexus between these conditions and in-service injuries. The Veteran's current disabilities are considered to be due to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error, including verifying in-service stressors and scheduling examinations.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for increased ratings and service connection, as well as remanded several new claims.
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