The Veteran's claim for VR&E benefits, including education to obtain a J.D., is remanded due to incomplete records and need for further evaluation. The AOJ must ensure all relevant records are obtained and associated with the claims file, request private treatment records, allow the Veteran to submit evidence of her employment attempts and needs for a J.D., and arrange for a vocational rehabilitation evaluation.
The deciding factor: The decision is remanded due to incomplete documentation and need for further assessment by a VRC who has not previously evaluated the Veteran on this issue.
- Claimed conditions
- posttraumatic stress disorder, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, patellofemoral pain syndrome with limitation of extension of the left knee, intermittent reported candidal vaginal infections
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19195801
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 19195801.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for rhinorrhea and denied initial compensable evaluations for headaches and left knee disability, while remanding the claim for a respiratory disorder.
- Granted
The Board granted a 30 percent rating for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee instability, and separate 40 percent rating for right knee limitation of extension prior to July 27, 2019.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a temporary total evaluation because of hospital treatment in excess of 21 days for service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder was withdrawn by the Veteran's representative and is therefore dismissed.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 40 percent rating for lumbosacral strain and denied or remanded the other issues on appeal.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.