The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis and lung and breathing problems due to PTSD should be remanded for further development, including obtaining medical opinions.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on the need for additional VA examinations and medical opinions to address the issues of service connection and the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his current disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Arthritis of the lower back, Arthritis of bilateral hip, Arthritis of bilateral knees
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 29, 2020
- Citation
- 20030303
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 20030303.
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 service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, arthritis of the lower back, neuropathy of the left peroneal nerve, and a shell fragment wound of the left thigh, require him to have regular aid and attendance. The Board has granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on this need.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the lower back, bilateral hips, and bilateral shoulders due to insufficient evidence on record. The Veteran contends that his current conditions are related to his active service in Vietnam.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for arthritis of the lower back, right hand, left hand, right shoulder, right knee, and left knee as there was no evidence of in-service incurrence or continuity of symptomatology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to reconcile conflicting medical evidence and provide opinions regarding the onset of his claimed disabilities.
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