The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine and pilonidal cyst are being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.
The deciding factor: The current evaluation does not fully comply with the requirements of 38 C.F.R. § 4.59, necessitating a new VA examination to assess the severity of his back disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis, lumbosacral spine, Pilonidal cyst
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 23, 2024
- Citation
- 24017174
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 24017174.
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 Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to September 10, 2021.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis, lumbosacral spine, with intervertebral disc disease, post lumbar fusion is rated at a 20 percent evaluation.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred during a non-VA hospitalization at UC Davis from November 18, to November 19, 2017 due to an emergency pilonidal cyst removal. The decision is based on the emergent nature of the condition and the need for fetal monitoring.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis, lumbosacral spine and sleep apnea, as well as his claim for TDIU. The Board found that there was not sufficient evidence to establish a link between the claimed conditions and service or any other service-connected disabilities.
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