The Board remands the Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his back and left knee disabilities to ensure compliance with its previous remand instructions.
The deciding factor: The remand is necessary to obtain a more detailed opinion on whether the Veteran has 'functional ankylosis' in either his back or left knee disability throughout the appeal period, as per the Board's August 2024 remand directives.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral spine, chronic back pain with arthritis and spondylosis, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with spondylolisthesis and intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), degenerative joint disease (DJD) with loss of flexion of the left knee, degenerative joint disease (DJD) with loss of extension of the left knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 26, 2024
- Citation
- 24033502
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 remands the Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his low back and left knee disabilities to ensure compliance with previous remand instructions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his back and left knee disabilities to ensure compliance with its previous remand instructions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his lumbar spine and bilateral lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy disabilities, as well as the TDIU claim, to schedule appropriate VA examinations.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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