The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations to address the severity of his service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and right lower extremity sciatica, including flare-ups.
The deciding factor: The Board found that substantial compliance with previous remand directives was not met, specifically regarding the Veteran's lay statements about flare-ups and a lack of notification for scheduled VA examinations.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine, Right lower extremity sciatica
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 29, 2022
- Citation
- 22043223
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 22043223.
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 has determined that there is a need for additional medical examination and opinion to address the Veteran's claim of service connection for a back disability, including DDD of the lumbar spine. The current VA opinions are deemed inadequate due to their failure to consider the Veteran's lay reports of in-service injury and continuous symptomatology since service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for degenerative arthritis with lumbosacral strain, left lower extremity sciatica, and right lower extremity sciatica have been dismissed.,The Veteran's TDIU claim has been granted from September 16, 2011.,The Veteran's SMC based on housebound criteria has been granted effective from March 13, 2024.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and bilateral hearing loss, do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was denied as his symptoms did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.
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