The Board has remanded three issues related to the Veteran's radiculopathy of the femoral nerve: increased ratings for both lower extremities, and effective dates prior to September 30, 2017, for service connection. The remand is due to insufficient information provided by the VA examination.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the addendum VA examination opinion was inadequate as it did not specify which symptoms are attributable to the sciatic nerve versus the femoral nerve.
- Claimed conditions
- Right lower extremity radiculopathy of the femoral 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
- January 14, 2021
- Citation
- 21002610
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 21002610.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone do not render him so helpless as to require the regular aid and attendance of another person, resulting in a denial of SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions and duty-to-assist errors.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings on the lumbar spine, RLE radiculopathy of the femoral nerve, and hypertension has been dismissed. The Veteran's headaches are found to be secondary to his service-connected hypertension, and he is granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's appeals for increased ratings and remanded certain issues, including TDIU and SMC.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.