The Veteran's left shoulder disability is not service-connected as it did not begin during service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury.,Diabetes mellitus was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's left knee disability, secondary to his service-connected right knee disability, was not addressed by the January 2013 VA examination. The issue remains remanded for further evaluation.,Bronchitis was diagnosed in January 2018 and is currently under review due to lack of a medical opinion regarding its etiology.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability (depression) has not been addressed by the Board as there has been no attempt to verify the in-service stressors.
The deciding factor: There are insufficient medical opinions or evidence to determine the relationship between the claimed conditions and service, particularly for bronchitis and depression.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder disability, diabetes mellitus, left knee disability (secondary to right knee), bronchitis, acquired psychiatric disability (depression)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2019
- Citation
- 19107431
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 hypertension and diabetes mellitus to obtain further medical opinions regarding their potential relationship to toxic exposures during active service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and a right hip disability, and granted a 30 percent rating for ureterolithiasis. The claim for an increased rating for PTSD was denied, while other claims were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for right foot, left elbow, left hip, left ankle, and diabetes mellitus to obtain additional medical evidence.
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