The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including cervical spine, shoulder/arm, hand, hip, knee/leg, ankle, and foot disabilities. The issues are related to undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness.
The deciding factor: The Board cannot make a fully-informed decision on the issues of entitlement to service connection for these conditions without an opinion regarding whether they are due to an undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical spine disability, Right shoulder/arm disability, Left shoulder/arm disability, Right hand disability, Left hand disability, Right hip disability, Left hip disability, Right knee/leg disability, Left knee/leg disability, Right ankle disability, Left ankle disability, Right foot disability, Left foot disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 18, 2019
- Citation
- 19172823
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 19172823.
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 Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available under the General Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The evidence does not support a higher rating as his range of motion did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.
- Denied
The Veteran's right and left foot disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent each, but the Board found that they do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.
- Dismissed
Your appeal of the March 28, 2025 rating decision that deferred adjudication of your right hip disability claim has been dismissed.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of January 10, 1997, for a 10% disability rating for his right ankle disability is denied as there was no CUE in the previous decisions.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.