The veteran is seeking service connection for degenerative joint disease of the hips, shoulders, and neck, as well as rheumatoid arthritis of the spine. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain a medical opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not contain sufficient medical evidence to determine if the veteran's current disabilities are related to his active service or any incident therein, including exposure to mercury from amalgam dental fillings.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative joint disease of the hips, degenerative joint disease of the shoulders, degenerative joint disease of the neck, rheumatoid arthritis of the spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 21, 2005
- Citation
- 0508183
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 0508183.
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 Board has dismissed your appeal because you have already been granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, which is related to your lumbar spine disability.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including asthma, PTSD, and IBS, are at least as likely to prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted TDIU based on this finding.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of his neck, back, left upper arm joint, left knee, and right knee. The evidence does not establish a link between these conditions and active service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various conditions, including colon cancer, degenerative joint diseases of multiple body parts, and a respiratory disability. The Veteran's claims are being reviewed due to the need for additional medical records and an opinion regarding potential asbestos exposure.
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