The Board has decided that the Veteran's lumbar degenerative disc disease and associated radiculopathy require further examination to determine their current severity, as well as his total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The issues are being remanded for these purposes.
The deciding factor: The decision is remanded because the VA examinations provided were inadequate and did not address all relevant symptoms and functional limitations of the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder, including flare-ups and neurological symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar degenerative disc disease, radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 22, 2019
- Citation
- 19139533
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,987 · Granted: 15% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19139533.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment prior to August 14, 2023.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for a compensable disability rating for service-connected migraine headaches is remanded due to the need for further evaluation and consideration.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for SMC based on loss of use of both lower extremities is being remanded due to a failure to obtain relevant private medical records. The AOJ will consider these records when readjudicating the claim.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for migraines, lumbar degenerative disc disease with associated lower extremity radiculopathy, and right and left lower extremity radiculopathy. Service connection is denied for left hip strain and right hip strain.
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