The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative arthritis with intervertebral disc syndrome of the thoracolumbar spine, left shoulder degenerative joint disease, and bilateral foot disorder have been granted. The Veteran's sleep apnea claim has been remanded.,The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and gastrobleed (gastritis) to include as secondary to residuals to bilateral foot condition claims have also been remanded.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran’s back disorder, left shoulder degenerative joint disease, and bilateral foot disorder are not related to his military service due to lack of continuity of symptoms.,The VA examiner did not provide a clear rationale for their conclusions regarding the Veteran's conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Degenerative arthritis with intervertebral disc syndrome of the thoracolumbar spine","diagnosis_date":null,"disposition":"granted"}, {"condition_name":"Degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder","diagnosis_date":null,"disposition":"granted"}, {"condition_name":"Degenerative joint disease, bilateral feet","diagnosis_date":null,"disposition":"granted"}, {"condition_name":"Sleep apnea","diagnosis_date":null,"disposition":"remanded"}, {"condition_name":"Right ear hearing loss","diagnosis_date":null,"disposition":"remanded"}, {"condition_name":"Gastrobleed, diagnosed as gastritis, to include as secondary to residuals to bilateral foot condition","diagnosis_date":null,"disposition":"remanded"}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 24, 2019
- Citation
- 19149203
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 a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for myasthenia gravis based on the Veteran's exposure to hazardous substances during his military service.
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