The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded for additional examination to determine the current severity of his conditions, as well as a TDIU claim is also being remanded due to the possibility that he may be unemployable due to these disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy have worsened since the last VA examination, necessitating additional examination. Additionally, there is evidence suggesting that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities interfere with his ability to maintain employment, warranting a TDIU evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative discogenic/arthritic changes of the lumbar spine, Left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, Right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19193459
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,456 · Granted: 23% (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 19193459.
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 has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis with abnormal curvature of the lumbar spine and left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, finding that there is no evidence to support a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for an automobile allowance was granted, while several other claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board also denied the claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including generalized anxiety disorder and orthopedic conditions, preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as there was no evidence to support higher ratings or a grant of service connection.
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