The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine condition, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with right sacral fracture, and related radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve. The issues are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine condition, as well as the severity of her lumbar spine condition, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and associated scar.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that a new VA examination is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine condition and the severity of her lumbar spine condition, related radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, and associated scar. The issues are inextricably intertwined with the issue of increased ratings for the lumbar spine condition.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical spine condition, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with right sacral fracture (lumbar spine condition), right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, residual scar associated with lumbar spine fusion
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 11, 2023
- Citation
- 23038118
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 23038118.
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 Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Dismissed
Your initial evaluations for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve have been granted, but your appeal is dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed all issues on appeal as the May 2024 rating decision was a purely ministerial implementation of the April 2024 Board decision.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for treatment purposes only under Chapter 17 for various conditions, including cervical spine condition, right upper extremity nerve condition, left upper extremity nerve condition, headache condition, right wrist condition, left wrist condition, right elbow condition, left elbow condition, right shoulder condition, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), bilateral pes planus, right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, and left knee disorder.
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