The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for thoracolumbar strain with degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease, as well as lumbar radiculopathy, left lower extremity, are being remanded due to a duty to assist error. The Board requests that the Veteran provide information about any private treatment providers he has used.
The deciding factor: The VA did not attempt to obtain records from private chiropractic and physical therapy providers who have treated the Veteran for his back conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- thoracolumbar strain with degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease, lumbar radiculopathy, left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 18, 2024
- Citation
- A24084420
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 A24084420.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for eligibility for specially adapted housing, a special home adaptation grant, and financial assistance in purchasing an automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment. The claim of CUE in the September 14, 2017, rating decision was also denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a right shoulder disability, cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, and secondary service connection for cervical and lumbar radiculopathies.
- Dismissed
The veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for lumbar spine disc disease with fusion residuals, chronic pain syndrome, and lumbar radiculopathy.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbar radiculopathy but denied it for genitourinary kidney problem blood in urine, sleep apnea (OSA), cervical radiculopathy neck, and eye injury.
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