The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and TDIU due to his service-connected lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and sexual dysfunction. The AOJ is required to obtain private treatment records from Dr. B., Dr. E.S., and any other relevant providers, as well as VA treatment records from June 2015 to the present. A medical opinion is needed regarding whether the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is related to his service-connected lumbar spine disability.
The deciding factor: The claims are remanded due to outstanding private and VA treatment records that need to be obtained, and a medical opinion on the relationship between the Veteran's erectile dysfunction and his service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, Grade I spondylolisthesis of L5-S1, 16-degree levoscoliosis apex L2-3, Radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, Radiculopathy of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 6, 2019
- Citation
- 19116426
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 19116426.
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 Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, thus granting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include a mood disorder and alcohol abuse disorder, secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The other claims for increased ratings were denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for higher staged ratings and initial ratings in excess of 10 percent, 20 percent, and 10 percent for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, right lower extremity, and residual painful surgical scar, posterior trunk respectively, to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
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