The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for low back disability, left and right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy due to inadequate examination reports and conflicting findings.
The deciding factor: The examination reports are insufficient and contain conflicting findings regarding the severity of the Veteran's disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic lumbar degenerative disc disease with right L5 radiculopathy (low back disability), left lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 18, 2020
- Citation
- 20020226
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 20020226.
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 appeal for SMC at the housebound rate was denied as he did not have a single service-connected disability rated as 100 percent disabling, and his TDIU based on PTSD with major depressive disorder alone is not sufficient to meet the criteria for SMC at the housebound rate.
- Granted
The Veteran's need for regular aid and assistance of another person due to service-connected disabilities has been established, allowing him to receive special monthly compensation at the aid and attendance rate.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment prior to January 31, 2023.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection for hypertension. The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, urinary issue, right hip arthritis, diabetes mellitus, and various types of neuropathy were denied. A TDIU was granted.
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