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
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 various conditions, including a head injury, headache disorder, erectile dysfunction, left earache disorder, chronic fatigue, right shoulder disorder, irritable bowel syndrome, right foot disorder, GERD, and left shoulder disorder, as the evidence did not support current diagnoses of these conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder, including bicipital tendon tear, rotator cuff tear, and tendinosis, as there was no evidence of an in-service injury or chronicity of symptoms to support a direct link between the current condition and active duty.
- Dismissed
The veteran withdrew the appeal for all service connection and rating issues, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review these matters.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinea pedis of the left foot and remanded claims for a bilateral foot disorder, cervical disorder, left shoulder disorder, lumbosacral disorder, right shoulder disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and eardrum disorder.
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