The Board remands the case to obtain a retrospective medical opinion on the extent that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities affect his ability to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The deciding factor: The decision is based on the need for a more detailed assessment of how the Veteran's service-connected conditions impact his employability, given the unavailable service treatment records and the Court's previous remand instructions.

Claimed conditions

adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, associated with angiokeratoma of the scrotum, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, IVDS, spinal stenosis, fusion, spondylolisthesis, vertebral fracture, segmental instability, sacroiliac weakness, radiculopathy, right lower extremity (sciatic nerve) associated with lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, IVDS, spinal stenosis, fusion, spondylolisthesis, vertebral fracture, segmental instability, sacroiliac weakness, radiculopathy, left lower extremity (sciatic nerve) associated with lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, IVDS, spinal stenosis, fusion, spondylolisthesis, vertebral fracture, sacroiliac weakness, radiculopathy, right lower extremity (femoral nerve) associated with lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, IVDS, spinal stenosis, fusion, spondylolisthesis, vertebral fracture, segmental instability, sacroiliac weakness, radiculopathy, left lower extremity (femoral nerve) associated with lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, IVDS, spinal stenosis, fusion, spondylolisthesis, vertebral fracture, segmental instability, sacroiliac weakness, angiokeratoma of the scrotum, scar, residuals, right inguinal hernia repair

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

February 7, 2025

Citation

A25011726

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