The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and opinions to determine the severity of his service-connected disabilities, including a bilateral foot condition, right knee disability, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The issues related to tinnitus have been addressed in this decision.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues that require additional examinations and opinions to determine their current severity and any aggravation by service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, bilateral foot condition (metatarsalgia), right knee residuals of torn ligament (instability), degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, left lower extremity radiculopathy (anterior crural and femoral nerves), left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), left lower extremity radiculopathy (external cutaneous nerve)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 6, 2019
- Citation
- 19160156
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 19160156.
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.
- 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).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of April 25, 2022, for the award of service connection for tinnitus and a 100 percent initial rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder.
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