The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings are remanded due to inadequate or incomplete examinations and further medical examination is needed.
The deciding factor: The VA spine and neck examinations of record do not fully comport with the requirements of Correia and Sharp, necessitating new examinations.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative changes of the cervical spine, Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, Radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, Radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, Radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, Radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, Left distal radius displaced left volar styloid (left wrist disability), Residuals of a mandible fracture, Neuropathy of the fifth (trigeminal) cranial nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 11, 2018
- Citation
- 18141453
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 18141453.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied extraschedular ratings for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine and lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities, as well as a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to February 3, 2011.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his lumbar spine and right hip disabilities due to a duty to assist error. The effective date for DEA benefits is granted as May 1, 2014.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and higher initial rating for his back disability is denied. The effective date remains March 29, 2021, as the earliest date of claim. An initial rating in excess of 20 percent for the back disability from March 29, 2021, is also denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's low back disability and right leg radiculopathy are granted service connection, but left leg radiculopathy is denied.
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