The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly assess the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity. The case will be returned for further action.
The deciding factor: The examination findings are not adequate for a contemporaneous rating, and further medical guidance is required due to the passage of time and changes in evidence since the last VA examination.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint and disc disease of the lumbar spine (lumbar spine disability), Left lower extremity (LLE) sciatic nerve radiculopathy, Left lower extremity (LLE) femoral nerve radiculopathy, Left lower extremity (LLE) external cutaneous nerve of the thigh radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 22, 2020
- Citation
- 20062376
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 20062376.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine are granted as service connected.,The Veteran's right lower extremity (RLE) sciatic nerve radiculopathy is granted as secondary to his lumbar spine disability.,The Veteran's left lower extremity (LLE) sciatic nerve radiculopathy is granted as secondary to his lumbar spine disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of entitlement to higher disability ratings for lumbar spine and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities, as well as effective dates for TDIU and DEA, due to non-compliance with prior remand directives.
- Granted
The Board granted the restoration of a 20% rating for lumbar spine disability and service connection for right and left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, while denying service connection for vertigo.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for the lumbar spine disability, residual scars associated with the lumbar spine disability, and radiculopathy of both lower extremities.
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