The Board has remanded multiple service connection claims and rating issues due to the addition of VA treatment records since August 2015, without a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC).
The deciding factor: The additional evidence was obtained after the issuance of the August 2015 Statement of the Case but no SSOC was issued.
- Claimed conditions
- low back disorder, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, major depression, and alcohol abuse syndrome), left shoulder disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), skin disability (including dermatitis and eczema), fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20004714
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 scarring, right orchiopexy and remanded the claim of asbestos exposure residuals. Other claims for service connection were denied.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
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