The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for tinnitus must be denied as the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent has been assigned.,The awards of service connection for left and right lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy are not entitled to an earlier effective date due to failure to perfect an appeal in January 2014.,Increased ratings for PTSD, thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease, left and right lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathies, and left and right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathies are remanded. The Veteran's entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea is also remanded.,The award of an earlier effective date for the increased rating of 20 percent for right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy is remanded.,The issue of a TDIU prior to June 2, 2017 is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claims and must be remanded as well.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for tinnitus must be denied as the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent has been assigned.,The awards of service connection for left and right lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy are not entitled to an earlier effective date due to failure to perfect an appeal in January 2014.,Increased ratings for PTSD, thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease, left and right lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathies, and left and right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathies are remanded. The Veteran's entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea is also remanded.,The award of an earlier effective date for the increased rating of 20 percent for right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy is remanded.,The issue of a TDIU prior to June 2, 2017 is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claims and must be remanded as well.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, left lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy, right lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease, left and right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20063488
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 20063488.
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 remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
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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