The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to deficiencies in a previous VA examination and remand directives. The issues include increased ratings for lumbar myositis, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and right lower extremity associated with lumbar myositis; discogenic disease, lumbar spine, as well as TDIU and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability.
The deciding factor: The VA examination did not comply with the Board's remand directives regarding range of motion testing and intervertebral disc syndrome assessment.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar myositis, discogenic disease, lumbar spine, rheumatoid arthritis (implied by the term 'myositis'), radiculopathy, L5, left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 26, 2020
- Citation
- 20068958
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 remands the claims for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities and special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance, pending implementation of an earlier effective date for urge incontinence.
- Granted
The veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right knee strain, left knee strain, lumbar radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and lumbar radiculopathy of the left lower extremity. It also granted initial ratings for various disabilities including a 20 percent rating for lumbar degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome, spondylosis, and spondylolisthesis, a 30 percent rating for labral tear, including superior labral anterior-posterior lesion, status post surgical repair, and higher ratings for other conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for radiculopathy, as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis of radiculopathy.
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