The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, sciatica of the left lower extremity, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and various nerve radiculopathies. The remand includes obtaining a retrospective medical opinion for the period prior to September 18, 2020, and scheduling examinations to assess current severity.
The deciding factor: The Board found that additional evidence was needed due to inadequate findings in the Veteran's April 2015 examination report and relevant treatment records. The Court also noted that compensation for objective neurologic abnormalities related to spine disabilities may be included in an appeal seeking increased ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine disability, sciatica of the left lower extremity, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, radiculopathy of the internal saphenous nerve of the left lower extremity, radiculopathy of the obturator nerve of the left lower extremity, radiculopathy of the external cutaneous nerve of the thigh of the left lower extremity, radiculopathy of the ilio-inguinal nerve of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 15, 2022
- Citation
- 22069156
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 22069156.
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 service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for miscarriage, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and right elbow disability due to insufficient examination opinions and incomplete service history verification.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, lumbar spine disability, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as these issues have been addressed in a separate docket.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. Service connection is being remanded for the lumbar spine disability and right knee and calf disabilities.
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.