The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection related to vertigo, brain disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, eye disorders, lumbar and cervical spine disorders, shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, ankle, and foot disorders, upper respiratory disorders, rhinitis, hypertension, skin disorders, thyroid disorders, and prostate disorders are all denied due to lack of evidence supporting a current disability. The claims for service connection related to these conditions have been remanded for additional development.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service medical records were destroyed in a fire at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in 1973, and no records from active service are available. Post-service treatment records do not show any current diagnoses of these conditions until many years after separation from service.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Vertigo"}, {"condition_name":"Brain Disorder"}, {"condition_name":"Bilateral Hearing Loss Disorder"}, {"condition_name":"Tinnitus"}, {"condition_name":"Eye Disorder (Glaucoma and Pseudophakia)"}, {"condition_name":"Lumbar Spine Disorder"}, {"condition_name":"Cervical Spine Disorder"}, {"condition_name":"Left Shoulder Disorder (Degenerative Joint Disease)"}, {"condition_name":"Right Shoulder Disorder (Degenerative Joint Disease)"}, {"condition_name":"Left Elbow Disorder (Degenerative Joint Disease)"}, {"condition_name":"Right Elbow Disorder (Degenerative Joint Disease)"}, {"condition_name":"Left Hip Disorder (Degenerative Joint Disease)"}, {"condition_name":"Right Hip Disorder (Degenerative Joint Disease)"}, {"condition_name":"Left Knee Disorder (Degenerative Joint Disease)"}, {"condition_name":"Right Knee Disorder (Degenerative Joint Disease)"}, {"condition_name":"Left Ankle Disorder (Degenerative Joint Disease)"}, {"condition_name":"Right Ankle Disorder (Degenerative Joint Disease)"}, {"condition_name":"Left Foot Disorder (Degenerative Joint Disease)"}, {"condition_name":"Right Foot Disorder (Degenerative Joint Disease)"}, {"condition_name":"Upper Respiratory Disorder (Asthma and COPD)"}, {"condition_name":"Rhinitis"}, {"condition_name":"Hypertension"}, {"condition_name":"Skin Disorder (Tinea Cruris)"}, {"condition_name":"Thyroid Disorder (Hypothyroid)"}, {"condition_name":"Prostate Disorder (BPH)"}
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19115434
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 19115434.
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
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