The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to additional medical records being added to the claims file after an August 2017 Supplemental Statement of Case.
The deciding factor: The Board found that more than 45 days had passed since a September 20, 2019 letter advising the Veteran about the additional medical records and his right to have them reviewed by the AOJ before the Board makes its decision. The Veteran did not respond within this time frame.
- Claimed conditions
- low back disorder, left hand disorder, right hand disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychiatric disorder (depression, mood disorder, and anxiety), hearing loss, tinnitus, left hip disorder, right hip disorder, left foot disorder, right foot disorder, headaches, radiation poisoning
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 9, 2020
- Citation
- 20001798
Veterans Law Judge
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 20001798.
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 Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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