The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any radiculopathy of the upper extremities and acquired psychiatric disorder, as well as the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected lumbar radiculopathy. The case will be remanded for these purposes.
The deciding factor: The Board found that additional medical examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any new or existing conditions, including whether they are related to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral radiculopathy of the upper extremities, acquired psychiatric disorder (depressive disorder)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 11, 2019
- Citation
- 19145235
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,612 · Granted: 16% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19145235.
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 has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back, neck, left wrist, right wrist, right knee, and right shoulder disorders. The appeal is allowed to that extent only.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new and relevant evidence received since the July 2017 statement of the case. The cervical spine condition claim is related back to in-service neck pain, while the bilateral radiculopathy claim requires additional VA examination and private medical records.
- Granted
The Veteran's sinusitis is granted service connection. His bilateral foot disability, including hallux valgus and plantar fasciitis, is not related to his service-connected knee disability or any other in-service injury. The cervical spine disability is denied as there is no nexus between the current condition and service. The upper extremity radiculopathy is also denied due to lack of a direct connection.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy, finding that there was no evidence to support his contention that it arose during or as a result of his active service, including as secondary to his low back disability.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.