The veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing the veteran with an examination to assess his employability.
The deciding factor: The case requires further review as it involves significant gaps in the record regarding the impact of the veteran's service-connected conditions on his ability to engage in substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic back disorder, varicose veins of the left leg, postoperative residuals of a right inguinal hernia, postoperative residuals of a left inguinal hernia, right orchialgia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 7, 2004
- Citation
- 0418098
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 0418098.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for a left upper extremity nerve condition and remanded the claims for varicose veins of both legs due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for lumbar spine condition L4-5, varicose veins of the left leg, and varicose veins of the right leg due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include anxiety and depression, and a chronic back disorder, both for the purposes of accrued benefits only.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased disability evaluation for varicose veins of the left leg, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent.
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