The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's low back disability, including rating claims and service connection for various lower extremity and hip/knee disabilities. The Veteran is also seeking service connection for renal dysfunction. Additional evidence is needed, particularly from VA providers, and a comprehensive examination is required.
The deciding factor: The Board found that additional medical guidance was necessary to address the nature of the neurological disability addressed by the February 2011 surgery and whether it is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected low back disability. Additionally, a comprehensive orthopedic and neurology examination is needed to assess all disabilities at issue.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back disability, Left lower extremity radiculopathy, Right lower extremity radiculopathy, Left hip disability, Right hip disability, Left knee disability, Right knee disability, Right foot disability, Renal dysfunction
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 29, 2019
- Citation
- 19158555
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 19158555.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the current disabilities to military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected low back disability alone does not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Granted
The Board has granted effective dates of July 10, 2024 for service connection for PTSD, lumbar strain, and left lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and bilateral hip disability, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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