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 assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 22, 2025
- Citation
- A25046348
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings and service connection, as well as remanded certain issues for further development.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial disability rating of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain, but denied earlier effective dates for the right and left lower extremity radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 40 percent rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve, but other claims were denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the claims for a higher rating and TDIU, finding that the evidence did not support symptoms greater than moderate incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve.
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