The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for low back strain with spondylosis, a separate rating for sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and entitlement to TDIU due to duty-to-assist errors.
The deciding factor: The December 2017 VA examination report is insufficient for rating purposes and remand is required to correct a duty to assist error that occurred prior to the March 2020 SOC and to obtain an addendum opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back strain with spondylosis, Sciatic nerve radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 6, 2025
- Citation
- A25020519
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 699 · Granted: 12% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A25020519.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy is productive of moderately severe incomplete paralysis, with symptoms including diminished muscle strength and hypoactive reflexes. The Board has granted initial ratings of 40 percent for both the right and left lower extremities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case for a new medical opinion regarding the Veteran's eligibility for PCAFC benefits due to insufficient reasoning in the previous decision. The claim will be reconsidered based on all available evidence, including lay statements and medical opinions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for a retrospective opinion to determine when and how severe the Veteran's sciatic and femoral nerve radiculopathy is, as well as which nerves are affected.
- Granted
The Veteran's femoral nerve radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is granted a 20 percent disability rating, effective March 8, 2023. The Veteran's sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the left lower extremity remains at a 10 percent disability rating.
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