The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, and requires further examination to determine if the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his service.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding the need for an examination to assess the relationship between the Veteran's current disabilities and his service.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of frostbite, partial loss of the right ear, basal cell carcinoma of the left neck
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 17, 2019
- Citation
- A19001978
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 appeal for service connection for a right hand disability, to include residuals of frostbite and tenosynovitis, is dismissed due to the appellant's death.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for residuals of frostbite based on the Veteran's credible testimony and a positive medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has ordered a remand due to the inadequacy of the February 2013 VA medical opinion, which did not explain why the Veteran's age at the time of his examination was relevant or why the lack of 'ongoing chronic' treatment for frostbite indicated that the current diagnosis was unrelated to the in-service frostbite.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete evidence and a need for further medical opinion regarding the Veteran's right foot condition, including residuals of frostbite, an ankle condition, and ingrown toenails.
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