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 gaps in her medical history since she left active military service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran has not provided complete authorizations for all relevant private treatment records, including VA treatment records from both periods of active duty. Additionally, there appear to be relevant medical records, including VA treatment records, that are potentially available and should be obtained on remand.
- 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), bilateral 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
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,812 · Granted: 30% (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 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.
- 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)
New and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the claims of service connection for bilateral ankle disorders. The Veteran's claim will be readjudicated in order to address the new evidence of record.
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