The Board has remanded several issues related to effective dates and initial disability ratings for various disabilities, including lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right knee derangement, surgical scar from right nephrectomy, and TDIU. The AOJ is instructed to readjudicate these issues with consideration of all evidence added since the April 2020 statement of the case.
The deciding factor: The Board found that additional VA and private medical records were relevant to the claims on appeal and should be obtained by the AOJ, as well as non-VA community care treatment records. The Veteran is also required to undergo examinations for his lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and right knee disability.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right knee derangement, surgical scar from right nephrectomy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 11, 2024
- Citation
- 24001996
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 998 · Granted: 40% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 24001996.
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 Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, as there are insufficient medical opinions and records. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals were dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The issues related to service connection for various conditions and disability ratings.
- 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.
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