The Board has remanded the claims for lumbar arthritis and left leg radiculopathy as secondary to lumbar arthritis due to incomplete information about the Veteran's service dates. The VA is instructed to obtain any outstanding treatment records and provide a new medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar arthritis.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the remand was necessary because there were inconsistencies in the Veteran's DD Form 214, which affected the determination of his service dates. The VA is instructed to correct this information and provide a new medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar arthritis.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar arthritis, left leg radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 10, 2022
- Citation
- 22034121
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 22034121.
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 restoration of entitlement to total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA), effective May 1, 2020. The decision was made due to procedural errors in the previous termination decisions.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back condition, left leg radiculopathy, and right leg radiculopathy as secondary to a lower back condition. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or caused by military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance or at the housebound rate due to his inability to dress, undress himself, keep himself clean and presentable, require frequent adjustment of prosthetic appliances, feed himself, attend to the wants of nature, or have an incapacity requiring assistance from others.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error in obtaining an adequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is related to service. The case will be returned for further action.
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