The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for DDD of the lumbar spine was denied, and his claims for higher ratings for right side lumbar radiculopathy were remanded.,Right side lumbar radiculopathy has been rated at 10 percent from October 29, 2009 through June 18, 2014, and at 20 percent since June 19, 2014.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine or the IVDS Rating Formula.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine, Right side lumbar radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19124903
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 degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine as secondary to service-connected impairment of the left knee with arthritis and impairment of the right knee with arthritis.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, radiculopathy impacting both lower extremities on a secondary basis to the back disability, and right knee degenerative arthritis.
- Denied
The Board denied an increased rating greater than 20 percent for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and scoliosis of the thoracic spine.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a cervical spine disability and lumbar spine disability as further development is needed to obtain an adequate medical opinion.
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