The Board has remanded the claims for a new VA examination to assess the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, as the previous examination was inadequate.
The deciding factor: The prior VA examination did not adequately assess the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and failed to consider all relevant factors under the rating criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the spine with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), Right lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the sciatic nerve, Left lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the sciatic nerve, Left lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the femoral nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 29, 2024
- Citation
- A24021671
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 A24021671.
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 remanded the case for further development due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the effects of medications on the Veteran's service-connected back disability.
- Granted
The Board has granted separate 20 percent ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the sciatic nerve, but denied higher ratings for right and left anterior tibial (deep peroneal) nerve involvement.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent for service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine with IVDS is dismissed as it has been subsumed by a previous remand.
- Granted
The Board granted a total disability rating for individual unemployability on an extraschedular basis and an effective date of September 17, 2017, for DEA benefits.
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