The Board has decided to remand several claims due to the addition of new VA treatment records, which were not reviewed by the AOJ. The Veteran's right ankle strain claim also requires an updated examination as his symptoms may have worsened since the last evaluation in March 2015.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that additional development is necessary due to the submission of new VA treatment records and a potential worsening of the Veteran's right ankle strain symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- thoracic spine disability, left ankle disability, right foot disability, chest disability, disability manifested by headaches, disability manifested by sleep disturbance
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19103826
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 19103826.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities to the AOJ for further development and consideration of evidence not previously considered.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for right ankle, left ankle, back disability, and other conditions as there is no evidence of a current disability related to the Veteran's military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a right foot disability and left foot disability as the evidence did not support that the preexisting conditions worsened beyond their natural progression during active duty for training (ACDUTRA).
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