The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his thoracolumbar spine condition was remanded. His need for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance was also remanded due to the lack of evidence showing he requires regular aid and assistance.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s service-connected disabilities alone do not render him in need of regular aid and attendance or confine him substantially to his dwelling and immediate premises.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, bilateral knee disabilities, bilateral hip disabilities, left index finger disability, thoracolumbar disability, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, right tympanic membrane perforation, sinusitis, bilateral foot laceration scars, lower back lipoma, vasomotor rhinitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19117779
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,435 · Granted: 22% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19117779.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
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