The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have worsened, and he requires assistive devices to walk. The Board has ordered a new VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected conditions on his ability to use assistive devices for locomotion.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s service-connected disabilities have caused significant functional impairment that affects his ability to walk without an assistive device.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease, left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, left and right ankle osteoarthritis, left great toe fracture
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19172301
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 19172301.
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 earlier effective dates of January 13, 2020 for the service connection of low back disability and related radiculopathy issues. The Veteran's claims were reopened due to new evidence submitted in January 2020.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not cause or contribute to his death due to a vehicular accident, which was primarily caused by the driver's negligence and poor visibility conditions.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome and low back pain, finding that there is no evidence of a chronic disease or injury in service or within one year after separation from service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis is dismissed because the notice of disagreement was not timely filed. The appeals for service connection for right upper carpal tunnel syndrome and left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome are remanded.
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