The Board has remanded 10 issues related to tinnitus, allergic rhinitis, psoriasis, and various forms of rheumatoid arthritis due to the lack of service treatment records. The RO is instructed to attempt to locate these records through multiple avenues.
The deciding factor: Service connection for the conditions was not established as there are no available service treatment records to review.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral tinnitus, allergic rhinitis, psoriasis, degenerative changes of the bilateral hands (claimed as rheumatoid arthritis), rheumatoid arthritis of the bilateral ankles, rheumatoid arthritis of the bilateral elbows, rheumatoid arthritis of the bilateral feet, rheumatoid arthritis of the bilateral wrists, rheumatoid arthritis of the bilateral shoulders, rheumatoid arthritis of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 6, 2018
- Citation
- 18132237
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 18132237.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection for asthma and a 10 percent rating based on multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities were dismissed. The claim of entitlement to a compensable rating for eczema was denied, while the claim of entitlement to allergic rhinitis was not addressed as it pertained to different issues.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for heart attack, kidney stones, polycythemia vera, diabetes mellitus type 2, and psoriasis is remanded due to inadequate VA opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left toe amputation, triple bypass surgery, blockage in legs, and bilateral tinnitus due to procedural errors and the need for additional medical opinions regarding potential exposure to toxins during service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him so helpless as to be in need of regular aid and attendance, leading to the grant of SMC based on aid and attendance.
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