The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of frostbite of bilateral feet due to outstanding questions regarding diagnosis and etiology. The Veteran needs further medical findings and opinion based on full consideration of his documented medical history and assertions.
The deciding factor: There are unresolved issues regarding the diagnosis and etiology of the Veteran's current foot condition, specifically whether it is related to service, including frostbite injury sustained in Germany.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of frostbite of bilateral feet
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 1, 2018
- Citation
- 18123196
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 18123196.
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 determined that additional development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including low back disability, residuals of frostbite of bilateral feet, residuals of venereal disease, and residuals of head trauma. The claims are being remanded for further examination and opinion.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection for residuals of frostbite of the bilateral feet is granted, and he receives a compensable rating (10%) for hypertension beginning July 6, 2011. The effective date for his earlier service connection for bilateral loss of use of lower extremities is set at August 22, 2011, based on his fall incident. He also receives an effective date of August 22, 2011, for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance due to the need for assistance with activities of daily living.,The Veteran's service connection for residuals of frostbite is granted as he provided credible testimony about experiencing cold injury symptoms during service. His hypertension is rated at 10% effective July 6, 2011, based on his history and current treatment needs. The earlier effective dates are granted due to the Veteran's fall incident in August 2011.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran is seeking service connection for residuals of frostbite of his bilateral feet. The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of these claimed disabilities, as well as whether there are any outstanding treatment records.
- Denied
The Board found no evidence of an in-service cold injury or any related residuals, and the Veteran's current symptoms are not linked to service. The claim for service connection for frostbite residuals is denied.
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