The Board has remanded the claims for a lumbar spine disorder, COPD, left knee disorder, gastrointestinal disorder (claimed as diverticulitis), skin disorder (claimed as eczema), and polymyositis due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners did not adequately address the Veteran's service treatment records or lay statements regarding in-service onset of symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine disorder, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), left knee disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, claimed as diverticulitis, skin disorder, claimed as eczema, polymyositis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 30, 2020
- Citation
- 20008222
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 Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including GERD, chronic kidney disease, COPD, a heart condition, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, insomnia, and obstructive sleep apnea, as additional development is necessary to address the Veteran's exposure to toxic chemical agents during his service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for Parkinson's disease/parkinsonism, a gastrointestinal disorder, a speech disorder, and essential tremor due to an inadequate VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a respiratory disability to obtain an adequate VA examination and additional evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during service.
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