The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for additional medical evaluation and consideration of his nonservice-connected back injury. The VA also needs to obtain SSA disability records.
The deciding factor: The Board requires further evidence regarding the impact of the Veteran’s service-connected disabilities on his employability, specifically considering his nonservice-connected back injury.
- Claimed conditions
- depression, obstructive sleep apnea, lagophthalmos (left eye), Bell's Palsy (right eye), tinnitus, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 11, 2019
- Citation
- 19145370
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
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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.