The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic prostatitis, cervical myositis, lumbar myositis, and a psychiatric disability other than PTSD. The AOJ must obtain VA treatment records from 1997 and any private treatment records related to his prostate condition in 1997. They are also required to provide the Veteran with release forms for these records if they have not already been obtained.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the previous examination was inadequate as it did not consider the possibility of service connection based on herbicide exposure, and thus a remand is necessary to obtain an additional medical opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic prostatitis, cervical myositis, lumbar myositis, psychiatric disability other than PTSD
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 19, 2018
- Citation
- 18119299
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 18119299.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Veteran's lower back disability and radiculopathy were rated at 40 percent, but the Board found no evidence of ankylosis or incapacitating episodes warranting a higher rating.
- Granted
The Veteran's TDIU and DEA benefits are granted effective from April 8, 2010. The Board found that the Veteran was unable to work due to his lumbar myositis starting in April 2010.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for lumbar myositis and service connection for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are being remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The Board will obtain new examinations and opinions to address the severity of his lumbar disability and the etiology of his bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy.
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.