The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot condition, right foot condition, and lumbar spine disability. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the nature of these conditions and their relationship to service.
The deciding factor: New evidence received since the last denial shows current diagnoses that relate to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the claims for left foot condition, right foot condition, and lumbar spine disability.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"lumbar spine disability","diagnosis":"DJD (Degenerative Joint Disease) at L3-S1"}, {"condition_name":"left foot condition","diagnosis":"osteoarthritis of the left foot"}, {"condition_name":"right foot condition","diagnosis":"bilateral swollen feet (not specified)"}
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 7, 2020
- Citation
- 20001186
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
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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.