The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for joint pain, wrist pain, sleep disturbance, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to an undiagnosed illness. The appeal is pending additional development.
The deciding factor: The February 2018 VHA opinion was inadequate as it did not consider the Veteran's reports of pain since active service or address whether the diagnosed disorders have a known or partially understood pathophysiology.
- Claimed conditions
- Joint pain, other than wrist joints, Neck arthritis, Shoulder arthritis, Hip arthritis, Knee arthritis, Hand arthritis, Finger arthritis (left index finger)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20027747
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 20027747.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's TBI residuals are granted service connection, and the need for aid and attendance is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding when the Veteran became unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation and whether he needs aid and attendance of another person.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the VA examination and opinion are inadequate, and thus remanded for further development. The Veteran's service connection claim is being returned to the RO for additional development.
- Granted
The Veteran has additional disability of the right hand involving median and radial nerve paralysis as a result of VA carpal tunnel release surgery on December 2, 1999. The proximate cause was that VA furnished the surgical treatment without the Veteran's informed consent.
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