The Veteran's claims of higher disability ratings for back and radicular disabilities are remanded due to the possibility of worsening since a previous examination in 2018. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is intertwined with the remanded claims.
The deciding factor: New VA examinations are needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's back and radicular disabilities, given the potential for worsening since the last examination in 2018.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc disease with a history of lumbar strain, radiculopathy in the right lower extremity, radiculopathy in the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 30, 2024
- Citation
- 24004425
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,886 · Granted: 24% (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 24004425.
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.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for the right ankle condition and denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection and increased rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease.
- Granted
The veteran's service connection for a back disability and radiculopathy in the left lower extremity was granted.
- Dismissed
The veteran's appeal for earlier effective dates was dismissed because the veteran withdrew the appeal.
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