The Veteran's claim for service connection for loss of use of the legs, secondary to his COPD and emphysema, is remanded. The Board also found that he is eligible for a special home adaptation grant due to his permanent and total disability rating for service-connected bronchitis and emphysema (COPD).
The deciding factor: The Veteran's COPD/bronchitis/emphysema may have caused or aggravated his degenerative joint disease, which significantly increased following his hospitalization in mid-2015.
- Claimed conditions
- loss of use of the legs, degenerative joint disease
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 11, 2018
- Citation
- 18133885
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18133885.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 40 percent for his lumbar spine disability has been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, as there was no unfavorable ankylosis or incapacitating episodes of IVDS.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, finding that there was no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis and thus not warranting a higher rating.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for an extension of a temporary total evaluation based on the need for convalescence due to his service-connected left great toe hallux valgus and degenerative joint disease has been dismissed because this issue was already decided by the Board in January 2026.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to an error in providing notice of a pre-decisional hearing, and the Veteran is entitled to such a hearing before the AOJ.
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