The Board has found that further development is needed for the claims of service connection and initial disability evaluation for left knee strain, degenerative disc disease (lower back), left hip degenerative joint disease, and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran's service records show he was injured in 1980 while playing basketball, which may be related to his current disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence suggests worsening of the Veteran's left knee disability since the last VA examination in December 2020 and that additional medical opinions are needed regarding the etiology of his lumbar spine and left hip disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee strain with degenerative joint disease, postoperative, degenerative disc disease, thoracolumbar spine (also claimed as bulging disc and lower back condition), left hip degenerative joint disease, left lower extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 15, 2023
- Citation
- 23015838
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 23015838.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy and denied the claims for right knee disability, erectile dysfunction, GERD, sleep apnea, and hypertension. The decision is remanded for further action on these issues.
- Granted
The Board has granted earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for middle and index trigger finger/stenosing tenosynovitis of the right hand, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The earliest effective date is June 30, 2012, for the right hand condition and April 22, 2016, for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have left lower extremity radiculopathy or any related symptoms causing impairment in earning capacity during the appeal period, and therefore service connection for this condition is denied.
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