The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity (sciatic) and femoral nerves due to insufficient evidence from a recent VA examination. A new examination is needed to assess the current severity of these conditions.
The deciding factor: The most recent VA examination was conducted over three and a half years ago, which is considered too old for an adequate evaluation of the current condition.
- Claimed conditions
- radiculopathy of the left lower extremity (sciatic), radiculopathy of the left lower extremity (femoral)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 30, 2023
- Citation
- 23019807
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 23019807.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased disability ratings for several conditions and remanded issues related to effective dates. The Veteran's claims for higher ratings were based on evidence that did not meet the criteria for increased ratings.
- Granted
The veteran's claim for service connection for radiculopathy of both lower extremities, secondary to a service-connected lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease, was granted. The effective date is July 19, 2022.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and a higher rating for service-connected radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection due to a failure to submit a completed VA Form 21-526 within one year of her intent to file, despite receiving multiple notices and opportunities.
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