The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations for intervertebral disc syndrome with spinal stenosis and bilateral pes planus, as well as his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU). The AOJ is instructed to obtain all relevant VA treatment records and provide a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's current severity of service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that additional evidence was needed, including VA treatment records and a medical opinion addressing the functional impact of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities on his employment capacity.
- Claimed conditions
- intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) with spinal stenosis, bilateral pes planus with degenerative joint disease of the great toes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- April 23, 2024
- Citation
- 24017354
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 24017354.
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 determined that the Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings, service connection, and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits must be remanded due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records from Social Security Administration (SSA), as well as errors in assessing the Veteran's employment status and his assertions regarding secondary service connection.
- Dismissed
The appeal of the claim for service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) with spinal stenosis, claimed as low back condition, has been dismissed due to a withdrawal by the Veteran's authorized representative.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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