The Board has determined that new examinations are needed for the Veteran's cervical, lumbar, and bilateral knee conditions due to inconsistent results from previous VA examinations. The Veteran's skin condition is also remanded as her current diagnosis does not match her claimed condition. The right and left ankle disabilities are also remanded with a request for an opinion regarding their relationship to service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that the Veteran requires new examinations due to inconsistent results from previous VA examinations, which may affect the accuracy of the disability ratings assigned.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical strain, Lower back strain, Right knee strain, Left knee strain, Skin condition (claimed as acne), Right ankle disability, Left ankle disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19187311
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 diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, asthma/lung disease, vision disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, leukocytosis, kidney disease/kidney stones, enlarged prostate, sleep apnea, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbar spine disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, as the evidence did not show that his service-connected disabilities alone were of such nature and severity to preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, while remanding claims for depression, anxiety, sleep disorder, right knee strain, left knee strain, and lumbar spine strain.
- Partly granted
The Board granted the restoration of a 20 percent rating for cervical strain from October 1, 2024, and denied compensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss, scars on both knees, upper extremity radiculopathies, and service connection for wrist disorders.
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