The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbosacral strain with mechanical low back pain is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and addendum opinion.,The Veteran's claims for service connection of right knee condition, left knee condition, rhinitis, and respiratory condition (including asthma) are remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and addendum opinion.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU is remanded due to the need for VCAA notice and development regarding her employment status since 2010.,The Board requests an opinion from NARA on whether the Veteran was exposed to asbestos while stationed at Fort McClellan.,A VA examiner will provide opinions on the nature and etiology of each claimed condition, including consideration of any asbestos exposure.
The deciding factor: There is a need for additional medical evidence regarding the severity and etiology of the Veteran's lumbosacral strain with mechanical low back pain.,The Veteran needs to provide information about her right knee condition and left knee condition, as well as any other relevant private treatment providers. The VA will attempt to obtain these records on remand.,The Veteran has raised a claim for TDIU, which requires VCAA notice and development of the record. The Board requests an addendum opinion from NARA regarding asbestos exposure.,A new VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of each claimed condition, including consideration of any asbestos exposure.,The Veteran's respiratory condition (including asthma) may have pre-existed service or be related to in-service events, diseases, or injuries. The examiner will provide an opinion on this matter.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with mechanical low back pain, right knee condition, left knee condition, rhinitis, respiratory condition (including asthma)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19188300
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,188 · Granted: 23% (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 19188300.
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 Veteran's rhinitis and gastric ulcer with hiatal hernia were evaluated, but the Board found that neither condition warranted a higher rating.,For rhinitis, the evidence did not show greater than 50 percent obstruction of both nasal passages or complete obstruction on one side. For gastric ulcer with hiatal hernia, symptoms were described as infrequent and mild.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis and rhinitis on a direct basis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active duty service, including exposure to environmental factors during Operation Desert Storm.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete findings and failure to properly address the onset, cause, and nature of his conditions. The VA will need to schedule examinations to determine if his rhinitis and bilateral hand disabilities are related to service.
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