The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and scheduling examinations to assess the Veteran's right hip arthritis, gout of the bilateral toes and knees, and thoracolumbar spine disability.
The deciding factor: The decision is being remanded due to incomplete evidence and the need for updated medical opinions based on all available evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Hip Arthritis, Gout of the Left Great Toe, Gout of the Right Great Toe, Gout of the Left Knee, Gout of the Right Knee, Thoracolumbar Spine Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 18, 2015
- Citation
- 1548496
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 1548496.
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.
- Granted
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hip arthritis is service-connected as it began during his active service and has persisted since then.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU was denied as there is no prior unadjudicated claim found in the record. The issue of TDIU was not raised until after a final rating decision on service connection for PTSD and TBI.
- Partly granted
The Board granted increased ratings for the Veteran's right and left shoulder rotator cuff disabilities, effective from March 25, 2008 and February 28, 2008 respectively. The thoracolumbar spine disability was also rated at 40 percent, but a temporary total disability rating for convalescence following a January 13, 2016 left shoulder surgery was denied.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.