The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and conducting a VA examination. The issues include TDIU, service connection for back, knee, and hip disabilities, increased ratings for bilateral hammertoe deformities, and a temporary total rating based on convalescence following surgery in April 2002.
The deciding factor: The appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development of medical records and conducting a VA examination to address the veteran's service-connected disabilities and their impact on his employability.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hammertoe deformities, back disability, knee disability, hip disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 4, 2003
- Citation
- 0318901
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 0318901.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for a back disability due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding VA's failure to provide the Veteran with a VA examination prior to the rating decision.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for right ankle, left ankle, back disability, and other conditions as there is no evidence of a current disability related to the Veteran's military service.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and shortness of breath as untimely. The claim for a back disability was remanded for further development.
- Denied
The Veteran was awarded service connection for allergic rhinitis based on the PACT Act, but an earlier effective date prior to August 10, 2022, is not warranted.
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