The claim of entitlement to service connection for a right-hand nerve injury is denied.,The claim of entitlement to service connection for a heart disorder is remanded.,The claims of entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities are remanded.,The claim of entitlement to service connection for fibromyalgia is remanded.,The claims of entitlement to service connection for a left shoulder disorder and for a right shoulder disorder are remanded.
The deciding factor: There is no credible evidence of an in-service injury that could have caused the claimed right-hand nerve damage, and there is insufficient competent medical evidence on file to establish a link between the current disability and service.,The Veteran has not been provided with a VA examination to determine the etiology of his heart disorder. The low threshold established in McLendon requires an examination.,The claims for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities are inextricably intertwined with the Veteran's diabetes mellitus claim and must be deferred until that claim is resolved.,There is insufficient competent medical evidence on file to establish a link between the Veteran’s fibromyalgia and service. The low threshold established in McLendon requires an examination.,The claims for left shoulder disorder and right shoulder disorder are remanded as there is insufficient competent medical evidence on file to establish a link between the current disabilities and service.
- Claimed conditions
- Right-hand nerve injury, Heart disorder, Diabetes mellitus, Peripheral neuropathy of bilateral upper extremities, Peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities, Fibromyalgia, Left shoulder disorder, Right shoulder disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19177256
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 Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and a right shoulder disorder as there was no probative evidence of current disabilities as defined by VA.
- Partly granted
The appeal was denied for service connection of a cervical spine disorder, and several claims were remanded for further development.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the R(1) rate due to his need for regular aid and attendance.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, finding no evidence that his death was related to any injury or disease in service, including exposure to herbicide agents.
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.