The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions are inadequate to adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical records, including those from private rehabilitation treatment, and to provide a new opinion regarding the etiology of the claimed disabilities.
The deciding factor: The previous VA examination opinions were insufficient due to lack of consideration of the Veteran’s lay statements and incomplete review of his service treatment records.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disease of the spine, left knee strain, right knee strain, left ankle strain, right ankle strain, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorder, depression
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 24, 2019
- Citation
- 19105774
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for left knee strain, right knee strain, right wrist strain, and TBI. The Veteran's PTSD rating was remanded for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal is remanded to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including the failure to obtain relevant treatment records and provide adequate VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hip and knee disabilities, as well as a TDIU claim, to ensure adequate VA examinations are conducted.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.