The Board has decided to remand the claims for left knee disability and GI disability due to incomplete compliance with previous directives. The Veteran's service records indicate she may have injured her knee during basic training, but STRs from that period are unavailable. For the GI issue, there is conflicting evidence regarding whether GERD was diagnosed in-service or post-service.
The deciding factor: The Board found insufficient evidence to determine if the current left knee conditions were incurred in service and remanded for a medical opinion on this point. The GI claim requires an addendum opinion addressing whether any diagnosed conditions are related to service, including as aggravated by service-connected hypothyroidism.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"left knee disability","diagnoses":["osteoarthritis of both knees"]}, {"condition_name":"GI disability","diagnoses":["IBS","GERD"]}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19164550
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 19164550.
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
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- Remanded (sent back)
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