The Veteran's low back disability is remanded for an adequate VA examination.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy are remanded due to insufficient development regarding in-service herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's right shoulder and left shoulder disabilities, as well as his TDIU claim, are remanded for further development.
The deciding factor: VA examinations must include joint testing for pain on both active and passive motion, in weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing. The February 2018 VA examination report did not meet these requirements.,The Veteran's service personnel records do not provide sufficient information about his claimed service in Thailand and Korea. Further verification is needed to establish herbicide exposure.,Service connection for the right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, and TDIU claim are remanded as diabetes mellitus has not yet been adjudicated.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic low back strain with degenerative arthritis, Diabetes mellitus (type not specified), Peripheral neuropathy (diabetic peripheral neuropathy)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19126559
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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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.