The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly evaluate the Veteran's claims for higher ratings and TDIU, as the current examination reports do not provide sufficient information regarding functional loss due to flare-ups and repeated use over time.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations did not adequately address the Veteran’s functional loss on repeated use or due to flare-ups in accordance with relevant case law.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the thoracolumbar spine, Right lower extremity sciatica, Chronic bursitis of the right hip
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 11, 2019
- Citation
- 19153447
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,757 · Granted: 23% (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 19153447.
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: Dismissed
The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for degenerative arthritis with lumbosacral strain, left lower extremity sciatica, and right lower extremity sciatica have been dismissed.,The Veteran's TDIU claim has been granted from September 16, 2011.,The Veteran's SMC based on housebound criteria has been granted effective from March 13, 2024.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his DJD of the thoracolumbar spine is being remanded due to a need for additional medical opinion regarding the functional impairment associated with his condition, without considering the beneficial effects of medication.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted restoration of a separate 10 percent rating for residuals of a TBI, and restored the 10 percent disability evaluations for left and right lower extremity sciatica, as well as granting entitlement to a TDIU.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 40 percent for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and effective dates of May 19, 2011, for right and left lower extremity sciatica.
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