The Board remands the claims for higher ratings and a compensable evaluation due to inadequate examinations that do not comply with Correia v. McDonald, 28 Vet. App. 158 (2016).
The deciding factor: Remand is necessary to ensure compliance with VA's duty to assist by obtaining an adequate examination.
- Claimed conditions
- Lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome, Right hip strain with painful motion, Right hip strain with flexion of the thigh beyond 45 degrees, Right hip strain with limitation of extension, Right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, Left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 23, 2025
- Citation
- A25046468
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 Board granted earlier effective dates of June 2, 2023, for the grant of service connection for various conditions and eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for TDIU, DEA benefits, and a finding of TDIU based solely on generalized anxiety disorder.
- Denied
The Board denied a compensable disability rating for the Veteran's posterior trunk surgical scar and remanded claims related to his bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome with discectomy and laminectomy, left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and incontinence as secondary to the Veteran's IVDS.
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