The Board has remanded the Veteran's increased rating claim for left TMJ disorder due to insufficient examination findings and a need for additional medical opinions. The claim will be further delayed as it requires a new VA examination.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on the need for more comprehensive evaluation of the Veteran’s left TMJ disorder, including consideration of flare-ups and changes in severity over time.
- Claimed conditions
- left temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 27, 2018
- Citation
- 18138753
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 18138753.
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 remanded the Veteran's increased rating claim for left TMJ disorder due to insufficient examination findings and incomplete VA treatment records. The Veteran needs a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected condition, including any flare-ups and functional loss. Additionally, all outstanding VA treatment records need to be obtained.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for higher disability ratings for left TMJ disorder and chronic low back strain are being remanded due to procedural issues, including the need to issue an SOC on whether a timely substantive appeal was filed with respect to the chronic low back strain claim. The Veteran is also required to undergo VA examination to assess the current severity of his left TMJ disorder.
- 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 Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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