The Board has determined that there were duty to assist errors in the rating decisions for the Veteran's right and left lower extremity sciatic nerve disabilities, as well as his service-connected back disability. The cases are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the previous medical opinions did not provide adequate rationale regarding whether the Veteran's sciatic nerves had their onset in service or were otherwise related to service, and also failed to address if they are caused or aggravated by his service-connected back disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Right lower extremity sciatic nerve disability, Left lower extremity sciatic nerve disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 6, 2019
- Citation
- A19002581
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 A19002581.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted separate 10 percent ratings for right and left lower extremity femoral nerve disabilities from January 25, 2012, to September 6, 2018, but denied ratings in excess of 10 percent at all times. For the right and left lower extremity sciatic nerve disabilities, it granted 40 percent ratings from January 25, 2012, to January 6, 2015, but denied ratings in excess of 40 percent at all times.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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