The Veteran's sciatica of the left leg is rated at 20 percent, but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,Service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and major depressive disorder), a left ankle disability, and a right leg disability (including right knee and right hip) are remanded due to incomplete information in the Veteran's service records.,The Veteran's left ankle disability and right leg disability (including right knee and right hip) remain unresolved as there is insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's sciatica of the left leg does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to its intermittent nature.,Service connection claims are remanded because missing service records may affect the determination of whether the Veteran experienced an in-service stressor and if his current conditions are related to military service.,Further examination is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's left ankle disability and right leg disability (including right knee and right hip).
- Claimed conditions
- Sciatica of the left leg, Acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and major depressive disorder), Left ankle disability, Right leg disability (including right knee and right hip)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 13, 2021
- Citation
- 21073896
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 21073896.
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 Board has granted the appellant's claim for service connection for left ankle disability residuals, finding that his current condition is due to an in-service injury and granting the benefit of the doubt.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed due to their death.
- Granted
The Veteran's left ankle disability and headache disorder secondary to PTSD with alcohol use disorder have been granted increased ratings, effective September 16, 2018.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied as the increase in severity of his conditions was not factually ascertainable within one year prior to March 30, 2023.,The effective dates for the grants of service connection for left knee instability and right knee instability are also denied.
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