The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his lumbar spine disability and radiculopathy with sciatic nerve involvement of the left lower extremity are being remanded due to errors in obtaining relevant private treatment records and a need for additional examination.
The deciding factor: Errors were made in obtaining the Veteran's private orthopedic treatment records and physical therapy records, and an additional VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of his radiculopathy with sciatic nerve involvement of the left lower extremity.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome (lumbar spine disability), radiculopathy with sciatic nerve involvement of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 20, 2024
- Citation
- A24085426
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 A24085426.
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 Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for new VA examinations to determine the current severity of his service-connected cervical spine, lumbar spine, left shoulder, and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy disabilities. The examination results will be used to determine if increased ratings are warranted.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was granted a 40 percent rating, but no higher. The claims for increased ratings for left lower extremity radiculopathy and right great toe scar were denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for various cervical, shoulder, and lumbar spine disabilities are being remanded due to incomplete service treatment records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and rating considerations due to the need for updated assessments of his service-connected disabilities, particularly those affecting his knees and hips. The issues include increased ratings for various knee and hip conditions.
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