The Board has found that additional development is necessary to comply with VA's duty to assist before a final adjudication of the Veteran's claims can be accomplished. The Veteran’s service treatment records show treatment and diagnoses for some of the claimed conditions, but there are still relevant medical records, including VA treatment records, that are potentially available.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has not provided complete authorizations for outstanding private treatment records and VA treatment records from her period of active duty. Additionally, she did not provide details or a release form for VA to obtain her private treatment records.
- Claimed conditions
- headache disorder (claimed as spinal headaches), bilateral foot disorders (claimed as right and left foot pain), bilateral flatfeet (claimed as fallen arches), bilateral ankle disorders, right shoulder disorder, cervical spine disorder (claimed as neck pain), lumbar spine disorder (claimed as lower back pain), right knee disorder, left knee disorder, disability manifested by joint pains (other than in the knees, ankles, feet, right shoulder, neck and low back), residuals of dental surgery
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 27, 2019
- Citation
- 19189896
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 19189896.
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.
- Dismissed
The appeal concerning the service connection for various conditions and the propriety of a rating reduction has been withdrawn by the Appellant.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for PTSD, diabetes mellitus, type II, migraines, left and right knee disorders, and obstructive sleep apnea due to missing military records and inadequate examinations.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.