The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations to determine the current severity of her claimed conditions.
The deciding factor: VA must consider four factors in determining whether the duty to assist requires a medical examination or medical opinion be sought with respect to a veteran's claim for benefits. The Veteran's claims have not been forwarded to the Board due to an incomplete appeal process, and additional development is necessary as per these factors.
- Claimed conditions
- recurrent Giardia lamblia infection, residuals of right thumb fracture, iron deficiency anemia, neck disability, bilateral hand and wrist condition, right ankle disability, bilateral leg disability, vaginal hysterectomy
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 2, 2013
- Citation
- 1300026
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 1300026.
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 has remanded the claims for a neurological examination to determine if any diagnosed radiculopathy or other neurological disability affecting the lower extremities was caused or aggravated by service-connected conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claim for service connection of a neck disability due to pre-decisional error in not obtaining a VA examination and medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left, right ankle disabilities, left and right hip disabilities, left and right shin splints, and left and right knee disabilities due to inadequate nexus opinions in the VA examination reports. The Veteran contends that her current disabilities are related to injuries sustained during basic training.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for neck and back disabilities due to a lack of medical evidence supporting the Veteran's assertions. The VA will obtain an examination and provide an opinion on whether these disabilities are related to service.
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