The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a spine condition manifesting in back pain, including fibromyalgia and degenerative arthritis, paralysis of the sciatic nerve of both lower extremities, major depressive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).,The remaining issues have been denied due to insufficient evidence or lack of nexus between service and current conditions.
The deciding factor: The claims for service connection are remanded as the Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to address whether the appellant's current back pain is related to her in-service back symptoms, whether her spina bifida occulta was aggravated by service, and whether her PTSD is related to childhood trauma rather than sexual assault during active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, arthritis of the hands and feet, sleep disturbance, spine condition manifesting in back pain (including fibromyalgia and degenerative arthritis), paralysis of the sciatic nerve of the right lower extremity, paralysis of the sciatic nerve of the left lower extremity, major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 18, 2020
- Citation
- A20008740
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 A20008740.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for specially-adapted housing assistance and a special home adaptation grant was denied because he does not meet the criteria for either benefit based on his service-connected disabilities.
- 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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