The Board has denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for lumbar spinal stenosis with radiculopathy due to the August 2014 VA spine surgery, but has remanded cases regarding service connection for acquired psychiatric disability and residuals of eye surgery.
The deciding factor: The Board found no additional disability resulting from the VA spine surgery, thus denying compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spinal stenosis with radiculopathy, acquired psychiatric disability (depressive disorder and PTSD), residuals of eye surgery
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 13, 2018
- Citation
- 18110885
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 18110885.
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 granted an earlier effective date of April 5, 2022 for the award of SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance. However, the case is remanded to obtain additional medical records and opinions regarding the Veteran's need for higher-level care.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to duty-to-assist errors and requests additional opinions on whether the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disability, and if so, whether it was a substantial factor in causing his current obstructive sleep apnea.
- Denied
The Board finds that the Veteran's low back disorder, including lumbar degenerative disc disease with bilateral lower extremity polyradiculopathy (L5,S1), and lumbar spinal stenosis with radiculopathy, was not incurred in or aggravated by service or any period of ACDUTRA or INACDUTRA. The Board concludes that the Veteran's current low back condition is more likely related to his post-service work-related injuries.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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