The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, right and left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, and femoral radiculopathy are all remanded for further evaluation due to reported worsening symptoms. The TDIU claim is also remanded.
The deciding factor: The evidence suggests that the Veteran's back symptomatology may have increased in severity since the January 2020 VA examination, warranting a new examination.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease with bulging disc, Right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, Left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, Right lower extremity femoral radiculopathy, Left lower extremity femoral radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 24, 2022
- Citation
- 22017088
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 22017088.
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 claims for increased ratings for right and left lower extremity femoral radiculopathy were denied as his disability did not more nearly approximate severe incomplete paralysis during the review period.
- Granted
Effective dates of June 4, 2022 are granted for service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and disc disease, IVDS, spondylosis, scoliosis and healed compression fracture of T7, right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, and right lower extremity femoral radiculopathy.,Effective date of October 5, 2023 is granted for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.
- Granted
The reduction of the Veteran's evaluation for his back disability from 60 percent to 40 percent was improper, and the appeal is granted. The rating in excess of 60 percent for a back disability is denied. The ratings in excess of 20 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy are also denied.
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