The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cellulitis of the right leg and loss of teeth due to exposure to ionizing radiation. Additional development is required, including obtaining private medical records from Dr. RL and dental records from a dentist who treated the Veteran for his teeth issues. The VA will also obtain all relevant treatment records prior to May 2008 and after January 2014. A VA examination will be conducted to determine if the Veteran has chronic osteomyelitis or osteoradionecrosis of the maxilla or mandible, or loss of teeth due to radiation exposure. The Veteran's cellulitis of the right leg claim will also require a VA examination to determine if it is related to his service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was insufficient evidence in the record regarding the Veteran's claims for cellulitis of the right leg and loss of teeth, specifically due to ionizing radiation exposure. The remand requires additional development including obtaining private medical records from Dr. RL and dental records from a dentist who treated the Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- cellulitis of the right leg, loss of teeth
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 20, 2018
- Citation
- 18137179
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 18137179.
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 withdrew his appeal for compensation under 38 USC § 1151 for loss of teeth, and the appeal is dismissed.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer, CAD, and bilateral lower extremity nerve damage, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the TDIU.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for loss of teeth was denied as her disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 9913.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for telogen effluvium (claimed as hair loss) was also denied, as there is no evidence that she has lost all body hair.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's attempts to appeal the denial of service connection for loss of teeth were not timely filed, and thus their appeals are dismissed.
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