The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further VA examinations and to obtain updated treatment records. The issues include increased disability ratings for various service-connected joint disabilities, as well as a claim for individual unemployability.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that additional examination and updated medical records are necessary to properly assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected joint disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- low back degenerative joint disease, degenerative joint disease of the right knee with limited motion, degenerative joint disease of the left knee with limited motion, degenerative joint disease of the right hip with limited motion, degenerative joint disease of the left hip with limited motion
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 20, 2017
- Citation
- 1759055
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 1759055.
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
The Veteran's service-connected low back degenerative joint disease, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and posttraumatic stress disorder prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment from July 19, 2004 to October 10, 2004. The Board granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back degenerative joint disease is related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disability was denied in 2007 and reopened on September 4, 2009. The Board granted service connection but assigned an effective date of September 4, 2009.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for low back and left foot disorders, finding that the current conditions were aggravated by the service-connected right foot disabilities.
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