The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to unresolved issues regarding his TBI, OSA, surgically-repaired hernia, right knee disorder, and erectile dysfunction. The VA is instructed to obtain treatment records, schedule examinations, and determine the nature and extent of residuals from in-service TBIs, etiology of sleep apnea, relationship between current abdominal hernia and service, potential for right knee disability related to service, and whether erectile dysfunction is related to service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that additional development was needed due to unresolved issues regarding the nature and extent of residuals from in-service TBIs, etiology of sleep apnea, relationship between current abdominal hernia and service, potential for right knee disability related to service, and whether erectile dysfunction is related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), Surgically-repaired Hernia, Right Knee Disorder, Erectile Dysfunction
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 29, 2019
- Citation
- 19167161
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 19167161.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted a rating of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), as the Veteran's symptoms most nearly approximated occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, left knee disability, and right knee disability. The claims for urinary frequency disability and residuals of a cholecystectomy were denied.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction and a higher rating for left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy with muscle weakness, but granted an earlier effective date for the 60 percent disability rating for thrombosis, TIA or cerebral infarction with impairment of sphincter control and voiding dysfunction, and for service connection for pharynx and/or larynx and/or swallowing conditions residuals.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an initial increased rating for diabetes mellitus type II and remanded the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, right shoulder strain with acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis and tendinitis, cervical spine spondylosis, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, and thoracolumbar scoliosis and lumbar spine degenerative changes.
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