The Veteran's cold injury residuals are being remanded for further clarification of the nature and severity of his symptoms, as well as to address any additional functional loss due to flare-ups.,The examiner should also clarify if it is less likely than not or at least as likely as not that the osteoarthritis of the Veteran’s feet is related to his cold injuries.
The deciding factor: The April 2018 examiner's opinions regarding the nature and severity of the Veteran's cold injury residuals were inadequate, particularly in addressing the Veteran's claimed dysesthesia symptoms and flare-ups. The examiner also failed to address the relationship between his osteoarthritis and his service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Cold Injury Residuals - Left Hand","details":"Residuals of cold injury with paresthesia, arthralgia, numbness, and cold sensitivity of bilateral hands."}, {"condition_name":"Cold Injury Residuals - Right Hand","details":"Residuals of cold injury with paresthesia, arthralgia, numbness, and cold sensitivity of bilateral hands."}, {"condition_name":"Cold Injury Residuals - Left Foot","details":"Residuals of cold injury with paresthesia, arthralgia, numbness, and cold sensitivity of bilateral feet. Bilateral osteoarthritic changes at the first metatarsal phalangeal joint noted."}, {"condition_name":"Cold Injury Residuals - Right Foot","details":"Residuals of cold injury with paresthesia, arthralgia, numbness, and cold sensitivity of bilateral feet. Bilateral osteoarthritic changes at the first metatarsal phalangeal joint noted."}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19176768
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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