The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to substantiate the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a lumbar spine condition, bilateral knee condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, decreased visual acuity, lower extremity vascular condition, and anxiety disorder. The RO must attempt to obtain relevant VA treatment records from Columbia, Missouri and Leavenworth VAMC, clarify the transportation arrangements with the correctional facility, and schedule an audiological examination for the Veteran.
The deciding factor: The Board found that additional evidence is needed to substantiate the service connection claims due to incomplete record development and potential logistical issues related to scheduling a VA examination in the Veteran's prison setting.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine condition, bilateral knee condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, decreased visual acuity, lower extremity vascular condition, anxiety disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 9, 2019
- Citation
- 19161882
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 19161882.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor. The claims for a cervical spine condition and lumbar spine condition were remanded for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for right foot, left elbow, left hip, left ankle, and diabetes mellitus to obtain additional medical evidence.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and other benefits, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings or additional compensation.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for depression, PTSD, and an anxiety disorder due to the lack of a current diagnosis.
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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.