The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are remanded due to deficiencies in prior VA examinations, lack of notification regarding upcoming VA examinations, and unclear employment history. The issues include right lower extremity radiculopathy, surgical scars of the low back, PTSD, degenerative disc and joint disease of the low back, left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, left lower extremity radiculopathy of the femoral nerve, and TDIU prior to April 24, 2013.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that proper notification was not provided for upcoming VA examinations and that there is unclear employment history related to the Veteran's TDIU claim. Additionally, deficiencies in prior VA examinations are noted.
- Claimed conditions
- right lower extremity radiculopathy, surgical scars of the low back, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), degenerative disc and joint disease of the low back, 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
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20060671
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 20060671.
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
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The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
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The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
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