The Board has remanded two issues: service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, which may be related to the Veteran's right knee disability, and service connection for left lower extremity sciatica. The claims are being returned for further development.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided were not adequate to address the Veteran’s history of back pain and its relationship to his service-connected right knee disability.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine disorder, left lower extremity sciatica
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 14, 2020
- Citation
- 20002656
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, diabetes mellitus, and bilateral diabetic neuropathy.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for left and right lower extremity sciatica but granted separate disability ratings for neuritis and neuralgia.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple psychiatric and physical disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left foot disability, left lower extremity sciatica, low back disability, and left arm disability.
- Dismissed
The appeal seeking service connection for left lower extremity sciatica is dismissed as the benefit was granted in full. The claims for a bilateral foot condition and right lower extremity neurological impairment were denied due to lack of evidence supporting current disabilities.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.