The Board has decided that the Veteran's right and left elbow braces are entitled to annual clothing allowances. The issue of a clothing allowance for topical pain medication (steroid cream) is remanded due to unclear reference in the SOC.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not clearly identify which topical pain medications were considered by the SOC, making it unclear whether they cause irreparable damage to outer garments.
- Claimed conditions
- carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, right foot paresthesias, right knee patellofemoral syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 2, 2019
- Citation
- 19160200
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 19160200.
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.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a higher rating in excess of the current ratings for various musculoskeletal conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a left upper extremity condition, claimed as a left shoulder condition, to schedule a VA examination and obtain an opinion on whether the condition is related to service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for GERD, left wrist sprain, right knee strain, and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The claim for an increased rating for generalized anxiety disorder with depressive disorder was denied.
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