The Veteran's claim for VR&E services to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing is remanded due to pre-decisional errors and the need for further evaluation by a VRC considering his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: There were pre-decisional errors that must be corrected before deciding the appeal of this claim, including the need for a new VRC evaluation to determine the appropriateness of pursuing a career in nursing given the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, psoriatic arthritis of the feet, sinusitis, Morton’s neuroma, status post left wrist debridement, psoriasis, right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, psoriasis, left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, left wrist scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 14, 2020
- Citation
- A20008539
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 A20008539.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found a pre-decisional duty to assist error and has ordered the case back to the AOJ for proper notice regarding the Veteran's right to a hearing.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for sinusitis is being remanded due to a failure by the AOJ to provide proper notice of his right to a hearing.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for sinusitis and remanded the Veteran's claims for chronic lower back pain, right knee pain, left knee pain, neck pain, and GERD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records and authorization for private treatment providers. The issues include heart disorder, OSA, sinusitis, lumbar spine disorder, and right knee disorder all related to Agent Orange exposure.
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