The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous directives, and is now required to obtain an addendum opinion from the Director of Compensation Services regarding a single extra-schedular rating for the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The RO failed to comply with the M21-1 Part III, Subpart iv, Chapter 6.B.4.c directives in obtaining the Court ordered addendum opinion from the Director of Compensation Service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine, Spinal stenosis, status post bilateral laminectomy with microdiskectomy and scar of the lumbar spine, Left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, Left lower extremity radiculopathy of the femoral nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- April 17, 2020
- Citation
- 20026563
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 20026563.
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 service-connected disabilities alone do not render him so helpless as to require the regular aid and attendance of another person, resulting in a denial of SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left ankle and lumbosacral spine disabilities were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under applicable VA rating criteria.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis and spinal stenosis with L3-L5 disc herniation (lumbar disability), left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, and right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve. The Board found that these conditions are related to service.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to lack of loss of use resulting from his disabilities.
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