The Veteran's lumbar spine and sciatic nerve radiculopathy conditions are remanded for further evaluation due to the need for updated VA and private treatment records, as well as examinations.
The deciding factor: Further examination is needed to determine the current severity of the Veteran’s service-connected disabilities, including his lumbar spine disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease of the Lumbar Spine, Right Lower Extremity Radiculopathy involving the Sciatic Nerve, Left Lower Extremity Radiculopathy involving the Sciatic Nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20003631
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 denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and chronic sinusitis. However, it granted an increased disability rating of 30 percent for left upper extremity radiculopathy.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's GERD was granted a 60 percent disability rating, and the June 15, 2020 VA Form 10182 for service connection claims was accepted as timely due to good cause shown.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, sleep apnea, and a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability from September 4, 2013 to February 23, 2014.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for her lumbar spine disability is denied. Her current 40% evaluation remains in effect, effective October 21, 2019.
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