The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to associate the Veteran's complete Veterans Health Administration (VHA) claims file with the electronic record, including VA treatment records and medical bills. The AOJ must reconstruct this file and ensure all relevant evidence is included.
The deciding factor: The AOJ failed to include the Veteran’s complete VHA claims file in the electronic record, which could affect the determination of unauthorized medical expenses incurred on September 16, 2019 and September 24, 2019.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 2, 2020
- Citation
- A20017854
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
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.