The Board has determined that a remand is necessary due to the need for a VA examination in accordance with Correia v. McDonald, 28 Vet. App. 158 (2016). The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected spondylosis L5-S1 with degenerative disc disease will be remanded for further development.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on the need to conduct a VA examination in accordance with Correia v. McDonald, 28 Vet. App. 158 (2016), which requires joint testing for pain on both active and passive range of motion, as well as with weight-bearing and nonweight-bearing.
- Claimed conditions
- spondylosis L5-S1 with degenerative disc disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 31, 2019
- Citation
- 19197057
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 19197057.
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 Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his spondylosis L5-S1 with degenerative disc disease was denied, and he is currently rated at 40 percent. The claim for a separate rating of 20 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy was granted.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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