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Remanded (sent back)

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals from bilateral frostbite of the hands, residuals of bilateral frostbite of the feet, and PTSD due to conflicting evidence regarding the validity of the claimed stressors. The Veteran is also required to undergo a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral hand and foot conditions.

The deciding factor: The Board found that there was insufficient supporting evidence for the Veteran's claimed stressors related to PTSD, and that further clarification is needed regarding the relationship between the Veteran’s current symptoms and service. The Veteran also needs a VA examination to determine if his diagnosed conditions are related to cold weather exposure during service.

Claimed conditions
residuals from bilateral frostbite of the hands, residuals of bilateral frostbite of the feet, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
None in this decision
Decision date
November 5, 2019
Citation
19183325

Veterans Law Judge

T. MAINELLI

Decisions by this judge: 1,836 · Granted: 31% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)

Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.

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 19183325.

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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