The Veteran's claims for higher initial disability ratings for various conditions are being remanded due to the need to obtain outstanding treatment records from TRICARE.
The deciding factor: The AOJ failed to obtain all requested TRICARE records, necessitating a remand to ensure complete information is available for evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral planter fasciitis and pes planus with degenerative changes of the feet, lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes, right lower extremity associated with lumbosacral strain, left lower extremity associated with lumbosacral strain, sigmoid diverticulitis with diarrhea, posterior vitreous detachment of the right eye
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 8, 2024
- Citation
- 24006876
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 24006876.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his left knee disability is dismissed.,Service connection has been granted for lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes and bilateral hip acetabular tears, which are found to be proximately due to his service-connected left knee disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy due to insufficient evidence.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes, as the evidence did not support a higher disability rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has previously remanded the claim for a new records-based examination to review treatment records and address changes in the Veteran's back condition. The February 2023 examiner did not provide useful evidence as they failed to review subsequent treatment records and evaluate the disability for the interval subsequent to October 2015. The Board is therefore remanding the claim for a new records-based examination by an examiner other than those who previously failed to comply with the remand orders.
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