The Veteran's claim for VR&E benefits related to education and training for a career as a licensed social worker is remanded due to incomplete documentation. The AOJ must obtain the Veteran's medical records, assess his current employment feasibility, and provide him with vocational rehabilitation assessments.
The deciding factor: The decision was not about service connection but rather about VR&E benefits related to education and training for a career as a licensed social worker.
- Claimed conditions
- major depression with panic attacks, pseudofolliculitis barbae, residuals of a post-operative right inguinal hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19195060
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 19195060.
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 an initial compensable disability rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae as the Veteran's condition did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, as it is unclear whether the Veteran's claimed conditions are due to any incident of his period of active service.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae, left foot swelling/pain, a left ankle condition, and tinnitus.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a compensable evaluation of service-connected pseudofolliculitis barbae and for service connection for chronic allergic rhinitis, migraines headaches, left foot bunions (hallux valgus), right foot bunions (hallux valgus), and tinnitus to ensure proper development.
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