The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for his claimed conditions due to incomplete medical opinions and duty to assist errors.
The deciding factor: Incomplete medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, particularly those related to secondary service connection, necessitate further examination and opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- left foot numbness, degenerative changes of the right glenohumeral joint (claimed as shoulder painful and numb), lumbar spine disc desiccation L3-L4-L5-S1 with disc protrusion, right-hand numbness
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 4, 2019
- Citation
- A19000423
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for a broken nose, deviated septum, low back disability, left foot numbness, right foot numbness, sinus disability, left elbow and forearm disability, left knee disability, and right shoulder strain. Service connection was granted for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and left hamstring strain. The Board also denied an initial evaluation in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder with residuals of a traumatic brain injury, an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for migraine headaches, an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for fibromyalgia, and an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea. The Board denied a total disability rating based on individual unemployability as a result of service-connected disabilities prior to December 1, 2023.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for left and right foot numbness to obtain an adequate medical opinion that addresses the Veteran's lay statements.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the veteran's right-hand numbness, scar, and disability, finding no evidence of an in-service injury or disease.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for Bell's palsy, headaches, left foot numbness, right foot numbness, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability due to insufficient evidence and the need for additional medical opinions.
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