The Board denied service connection for left knee degenerative joint disease, right knee disability, and tinnitus. The Veteran's ED was remanded due to insufficient evidence linking it to his service-connected condition.,Service connection for right wrist disability is also remanded as the claimant asserts that it is secondary to a service-connected condition.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's ED was caused by medications prescribed for his service-connected conditions, nor did they address the aggravation prong of secondary service connection for right wrist disability. These are necessary to make a determination.,VA should obtain an addendum medical opinion regarding the etiology and nexus between the Veteran’s current diagnoses (ED and right wrist disability) and any service-connected condition.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee degenerative joint disease, right knee disability, tinnitus, erectile dysfunction (ED), right wrist disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, neck disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 22, 2019
- Citation
- 19104768
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 Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
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