The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for hernia condition, thoracolumbar spine disorder, psychiatric disorder (including depression and PTSD), right shoulder disorder, and left shoulder disorder. The remand includes obtaining additional VA treatment records, scheduling a VA examination for scoliosis, and requesting an addendum opinion regarding the relationship between current psychiatric disorders and military service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there were insufficient medical opinions on record to make fully-informed decisions on several issues, particularly regarding the Veteran's diagnoses and their relation to her military service. The remand requires obtaining additional VA treatment records, scheduling a VA examination for scoliosis, and requesting an addendum opinion regarding psychiatric disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- hernia condition, thoracolumbar spine disorder (claimed as chronic low back pain), psychiatric disorder (to include depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)), right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19187171
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,242 · Granted: 27% (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 19187171.
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 Veteran's service connection claims for lumbosacral strain, asthma, melasma and hydradenitis, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression, anxiety, and stress), left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, a left foot disorder, and IBS have been granted. The remaining issues are remanded.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that side effects from prescribed medications contributed substantially and materially to his accidental motorcycle collision resulting in fatal injuries.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that he does not require regular aid and assistance from another person as a result of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the cases for new VA examinations due to inadequate opinions in the July 2020 VA examination reports. The Veteran's right shoulder disorder, left ankle disorder, and lumbar spine disorder are being reviewed again to determine if they are related to his active duty service.
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