The Board has found that the Veteran's claims for higher disability ratings are inextricably intertwined with his TDIU claim. Therefore, all issues have been remanded to obtain additional VA examinations and address any outstanding treatment records.
The deciding factor: The TDIU claim is part of an increased rating claim as held by the Court in Rice v. Shinseki (2009).
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder disability (rotator cuff tendinitis and impingement), right shoulder disability (degenerative arthritis and impingement), chronic left knee strain, right knee degenerative arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 30, 2018
- Citation
- 18154854
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 18154854.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for right knee disability, left knee arthritis, and bilateral knee instability. The decision is based on the Veteran's competent and credible lay evidence regarding the onset of symptoms in service.
- Denied
The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claims of service connection for left and right knee degenerative arthritis, as his current conditions are not linked to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, PTSD, and multiple orthopedic conditions, prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee degenerative arthritis, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his active service.
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