The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient rationale in the previous VA examination and issues related to the timing of the Veteran's diagnoses.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on the Court's finding that the Board improperly relied on an inadequate rationale from a 2013 VA examination, particularly regarding the lack of evidence supporting the Board’s conclusions about the onset of the Veteran's back condition and its relation to service.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative joint disease, lower back, neuropathy, left leg
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 8, 2020
- Citation
- 20032459
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 20032459.
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 Board has determined that the Veteran's neuropathy of both legs did not manifest in active service, was not aggravated by active service, and is not otherwise attributable to active service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for neuropathy of the left leg and right leg is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for neuropathy of the right and left legs are remanded due to potential herbicide exposure in Thailand. The AOJ will verify the Veteran's possible exposure, consider his MOS as a jet engine mechanic, and determine if it is least likely that his duties would have put him near the perimeter where he could have been exposed to herbicides.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's skin condition, diagnosed as tinea cruris, recurrent, of the bilateral groin and thighs and tinea corporis of the right leg, had onset in service. The remaining issues on appeal are remanded for further development.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities with an effective date of May 2, 2007. The Veteran's original claim was related to his low back disability, which included bilateral leg numbness and a limp.
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