The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his lumbosacral spine disorder and for TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence.
The deciding factor: Additional medical examination is required to assess the extent of the Veteran's disability, as well as further development of his claim for TDIU which is inextricably intertwined with the rating issue.
- Claimed conditions
- intervertebral disc syndrome with sciatic nerve involvement, lumbar spondylosis and degenerative disc disease L4-5, sensory deficit and motor weakness of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 16, 2018
- Citation
- 18118686
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 18118686.
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 Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected back disability, and scheduling a VA Social Industrial Survey. The issues on appeal are an increased rating for intervertebral disc syndrome with sciatic nerve involvement and entitlement to TDIU.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for intervertebral disc syndrome with sciatic nerve involvement (previously rated as degenerative joint disease of the thoracic spine and herniated nucleus pulposus and arthritis of the thoracic spine) prior to July 21, 2010 and 20 percent thereafter is being remanded for additional development.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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