The Board has ordered remand for the Veteran's claims of service connection for arthritis of the low back, sciatica of the left lower extremity, and sciatica of the right lower extremity. The remand requires a new VA examination to address whether these conditions are related to military service or her service-connected low back strain, including an opinion on aggravation.
The deciding factor: The previous examinations did not provide adequate opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected condition and her claimed disabilities, nor did they adequately address the issue of aggravation.
- Claimed conditions
- arthritis of the low back, sciatica of the left lower extremity, sciatica of the right lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 31, 2018
- Citation
- 18122845
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 18122845.
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 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions including bilateral shoulder arthritis, bilateral hearing loss, neck pain, arthritis of the low back, and right hand arthritis due to inconsistencies in his statements regarding the onset and chronicity of symptoms.
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