The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for herniated nucleus pulposus L5-S1 with degenerative arthritis of the spine, chronic right ankle sprain, and status post left arthroscopic meniscectomy with post-operative scarring due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran must be provided new VA examinations that comply with Correia v. McDonald (2016).
The deciding factor: The Board found that the previous VA examinations did not provide sufficient findings regarding the Veteran's range of motion and functional limitations, as required by Correia.
- Claimed conditions
- herniated nucleus pulposus L5-S1 with degenerative arthritis of the spine, chronic right ankle sprain, status post left arthroscopic meniscectomy with post-operative scarring
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 30, 2018
- Citation
- 18154813
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 18154813.
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 remands the claims for a right hip strain, migraine and tension headaches, and chronic right ankle sprain as they require additional evidence through supplemental opinions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 30 percent for right shoulder rotator cuff tendinosis and arthralgia, in excess of 10 percent for left knee chondromalacia patella with degenerative arthritis, in excess of 10 percent for right knee chondromalacia patella with degenerative arthritis, and in excess of 20 percent for chronic right ankle sprain to obtain additional medical opinions.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's right elbow, right ankle, and depressive disorder and chronic pain syndrome.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the right ankle sprain and denied higher ratings for the other conditions.
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