The Board has remanded the claims for an initial rating higher than 50 percent for adjustment disorder with depressed mood, an initial rating higher than 20 percent for lumbosacral strain, and an initial rating higher than 10 percent for residual neuropathy status/post left axillary mass aspiration. The effective dates of service connection are also remanded due to unadjudicated assertions of clear and unmistakable error (CUE).
The deciding factor: The claims have been remanded because the issues on appeal are intertwined with unadjudicated assertions of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in statements of record.
- Claimed conditions
- adjustment disorder with depressed mood, lumbosacral strain, residual neuropathy status/post left axillary mass aspiration
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 6, 2019
- Citation
- A19003377
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 A19003377.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that the Veteran's low back injury occurred during a period of active duty for training (ADT) and continued therefrom.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent rating for right leg sciatica with radiculopathy pain and paresthesia, but denied increased ratings for PTSD, lumbosacral strain, left wrist limitation of motion with ganglion cyst, and service connection for headaches, unspecified. Several issues were remanded.
- Dismissed
The appeals for restoration of ratings and for a higher disability rating were dismissed as the April 2025 rating decision did not make final decisions on these issues.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a disability rating greater than 10 percent for tinnitus and a rating greater than 20 percent for lumbosacral strain, but granted a 20 percent rating for left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy and right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy.
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