The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbar spine DDD with IVDS is remanded due to lack of substantial compliance with the Board’s December 2017 remand and incomplete VA examination.
The deciding factor: The remand is required because there has not been substantial compliance with the directives in the Board’s previous decision, specifically regarding the February 2018 VA examination which did not comply with the requirements set forth in Sharp v. Shulkin (2017).
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD) with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20028021
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 20028021.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the issues of evaluating lumbar DDD with IVDS and TDIU. The Veteran will need to undergo a new medical examination to provide range of motion measurements, address pain during use, and assess functional impairment.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's lumbar DDD with IVDS and left leg radiculopathy are both remanded for further evaluation due to possible worsening of symptoms.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for updated examinations, clarification of instability in his right knee, and obtaining VA treatment records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that additional development is needed regarding the remaining issues on appeal, including new VA examinations for the service-connected lumbar DDD with IVDS. The effective date of TDIU was changed to November 8, 2012.
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