The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection, including obtaining STRs from his Navy Reserve service and private medical records. The claims are being remanded for these purposes.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there were gaps in the record regarding the Veteran’s Naval Reserve service treatment records and private medical records which need to be obtained before a decision can be made on the claims.
- Claimed conditions
- neck disorder, low back disorder, bilateral foot disorder, residuals of head injury, psychiatric disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20000839
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings, as well as higher levels of special monthly compensation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for a low back disorder to obtain additional medical evidence and ensure that the Veteran is afforded every possible consideration.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for a low back disorder was dismissed as the RO granted service connection in a November 2023 rating decision.
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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.