The Veteran's claim for a scar on the head is denied as there is no current diagnosis of a scar and recent VA examination did not find any visible scar.,The Veteran's claim for varicose veins of the left leg is denied as there is no evidence that they began during service or are related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.,The Veteran's claim for erectile dysfunction including as secondary to service-connected disabilities is remanded due to lack of a medical opinion on whether it was aggravated by service-connected conditions.,The Veteran's claim for bilateral plantar fasciitis is remanded due to the need for an examination and opinion regarding its relationship to in-service complaints of right heel pain.,The Veteran's claim for right ear hearing loss is remanded due to lack of a medical opinion on whether it was related to service-connected tinnitus.,The Veteran's claim for gastritis is remanded due to the need for an examination and opinion regarding its relationship to in-service complaints of gastroenteritis.,The Veteran's claim for hypertension is remanded due to the need for an examination and opinion regarding its relationship to in-service blood pressure readings.
The deciding factor: Most claims are denied based on lack of a current diagnosis or evidence linking the condition to service. The specific reasons vary but generally center around the absence of a current disability, no evidence of onset during service, and/or conflicting medical opinions.
- Claimed conditions
- scar on the head, varicose veins of the left leg, erectile dysfunction, bilateral plantar fasciitis, right ear hearing loss, gastritis, hypertension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 26, 2020
- Citation
- 20036016
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 20036016.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to unclear evidence regarding the diagnosis of gastritis and its relation to service. The Veteran needs to provide records, and a VA examiner will review his medical history and determine if gastritis is related to his military service or any other conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
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