The claims for increased ratings for various radiculopathies in the lower extremities are remanded due to an inadequate VA examination.
The deciding factor: The August 2023 VA medical examination is deemed inadequate as it did not address the Veteran's reported atrophy and was not thorough enough, necessitating a new examination.
- Claimed conditions
- left lower extremity radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve, right lower extremity radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve, left lower extremity radiculopathy involving the femoral nerve, right lower extremity radiculopathy involving the femoral nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 22, 2025
- Citation
- A25046348
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 709 · Granted: 38% (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 A25046348.
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
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's left and right lower extremity radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve are granted a 20 percent rating, but no higher.
- Whole decision: Granted
The appeal as to the propriety of reducing disability ratings for right lower extremity radiculopathy, left knee meniscal tear and knee joint osteoarthritis, and right knee meniscal tear and knee joint osteoarthritis is granted. The appeals are remanded.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand two issues: the claim for service connection for arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and the issue of a higher rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve. The reasons are that there were duty-to-assist errors prior to the March 2025 rating decision on appeal.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for left lower extremity radiculopathy involving the femoral and sciatic nerves are being remanded due to a duty to assist error.
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