The Board has granted separate 10 percent ratings for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities associated with service-connected lumbar spine degenerative arthritis. The Veteran's claim for increased rating for his lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, bilateral hearing loss, and erectile dysfunction remains pending. Additionally, the Board has remanded claims for service connection for the cause of death, abdominal aorta aneurysm, and heart condition.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of the evidence does not support increased ratings for the Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, bilateral hearing loss, or erectile dysfunction. The claim for service connection for the cause of death is remanded as well.
- Claimed conditions
- Lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, Radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2019
- Citation
- 19178534
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted earlier effective dates for the assignment of separate 20 percent ratings for right and left knee instability, but denied earlier effective dates for increased ratings for PTSD and lumbar spine degenerative arthritis.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's requests for extensions of time to file Board Appeal requests were denied, and the attempted appeals were dismissed.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a compensable rating for sinusitis and remanded several claims related to back, radiculopathy, ankle, wrist conditions, and obstructive sleep apnea.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for the lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and left lower extremity radiculopathy prior to April 19, 2023, but dismissed the appeal for a higher rating from that date. The decision also denied special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance or being housebound.
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