The Board remands multiple claims for higher initial ratings and other benefits due to the need for additional development, including an examination regarding atrophy in the Veteran's legs.
The deciding factor: The remand is necessary because the VA examiners did not adequately address certain aspects of the claims, particularly concerning marked atrophy in the lower extremities.
- Claimed conditions
- radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, sciatic distribution, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, sciatic distribution, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, femoral distribution, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, femoral distribution, degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 23, 2025
- Citation
- 25013242
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,429 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 25013242.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
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 claim for an effective date prior to February 8, 2023 for the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) because it is not factually ascertainable that his service-connected conditions caused him to become unemployable within one year before filing the claim.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the intermediate rate between the (m) and (n) rates based on his service-connected conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a VA opinion to address whether the Veteran's lumbar spine disability manifested in the functional equivalent of unfavorable ankylosis during flare-ups.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right ankle degenerative arthritis, PTSD, diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathy with radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbar spine, rendered him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment.
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