The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the failure to obtain private treatment records and the need to consider the effects of medication on his disability evaluations.,There is inconsistency in the Veteran's employment history, which must be addressed to ensure accurate information for the TDIU claim.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that it would not be a harmless error if it were to adjudicate the appeal at this juncture due to recent caselaw updates and pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, bilateral pes planus, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 2, 2026
- Citation
- A26029934
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 A26029934.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals were dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The issues related to service connection for various conditions and disability ratings.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his active military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various hip and lower extremity disorders, including as secondary to a lumbar spine disorder. The case is being returned to the AOJ for further action.
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