The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to inadequate development. The right lower extremity radiculopathy claim requires a VA examination, and the DDD involving the lumbosacral spine claim needs an addendum opinion regarding functional equivalent of ankylosis.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there has not been substantial compliance with prior remand directives and thus the claims must be remanded for further development.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) involving the lumbosacral spine, Right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 11, 2023
- Citation
- 23065520
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 23065520.
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 a rating of 20 percent for the Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, finding that it most nearly approximated moderate incomplete paralysis.
- Granted
The Board has granted an initial disability rating of 40 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, which is considered moderately severe incomplete paralysis.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis and spinal stenosis with L3-L5 disc herniation (lumbar disability), left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, and right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve. The Board found that these conditions are related to service.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to lack of loss of use resulting from his disabilities.
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