The Board has determined that additional medical records are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including VA treatment records from prior to February 2013 and April 2018, as well as any SSA disability records and Walter Reed Army Medical Center records related to his heart failure. The Veteran will also be afforded a VA examination for his hypertension claim.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that the current record is incomplete and requires additional evidence to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder, back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, neck disability, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, congestive heart failure
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 31, 2019
- Citation
- 19159168
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 19159168.
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 right shoulder disability and migraines/chronic headaches are remanded for additional development due to insufficient opinions on the etiology of her conditions.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
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