The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to incomplete examinations and the need for additional medical records. The issues of service connection are being reviewed, as well as initial disability ratings.
The deciding factor: Incomplete VA examination reports and missing private treatment records prevent a determination on the merits of the claims.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine degenerative arthritis and spondylosis, lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, to include anxiety and depression, right elbow olecranon bursitis, left elbow olecranon bursitis, right wrist tendonitis, left wrist tendonitis, right hip degenerative osteoarthritis, left hip degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative changes, patellar tendonitis, and small suprapatellar effusions
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20035499
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 20035499.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
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