The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and left knee disability, but has found that additional development is necessary due to lack of definitive evidence linking these conditions to service.
The deciding factor: The VA needs to obtain records from Fort Riley hospital during the Veteran's service and provide him with a VA examination to determine if his current disabilities are related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease of the Lumbar Spine, Left Knee Strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19142863
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction, but granted an increased rating of 40 percent for a low back disability (intervertebral disc syndrome) and 20 percent for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development and to ensure compliance with VA's duty to assist.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD, denied ratings in excess of 30 percent for left and right knee strains, granted separate 10 percent ratings for painful, noncompensable limitation of flexion of the knees, granted service connection for back condition and related radiculopathies, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a right shoulder condition.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and chronic sinusitis. However, it granted an increased disability rating of 30 percent for left upper extremity radiculopathy.
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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.