The Veteran's claim for service connection for a urinary disorder is denied.,Service connection for PTSD, major depressive disorder, and anxiety has been expanded to include all psychiatric disabilities diagnosed. The claims of service connection for low back and cervical spine disabilities are remanded due to incomplete records and need for an examination.,Service connection for right hip DJD, left hip DJD, right knee DJD, left knee DJD, right ankle DJD, left ankle DJD, right foot DJD, and left foot DJD is remanded as secondary to a low back disability. Service connection for right shoulder DJD, left shoulder DJD, right hand disability, and left hand disability is also remanded as secondary to a cervical spine disability.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinion. Service connection for skin disabilities is remanded due to incomplete records of private treatment.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU rating is inextricably intertwined with the other claims and must be deferred.
The deciding factor: There is no current diagnosis of a urinary disorder, and the record does not include any evidence that supports such a diagnosis. The Veteran has not presented valid service connection claims.,Incomplete records and need for an examination regarding stressor events in service and private psychiatric treatment are necessary to determine whether PTSD, major depressive disorder, and anxiety have been incurred during service or secondary to a low back disability.,Records of VA and private treatment for the claimed disabilities must be obtained. An examination is needed to assess the nature and etiology of these disabilities.,The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to inadequate opinion regarding noise exposure in service, and incomplete records of private treatment are necessary to determine whether a skin disability has been incurred during service or secondary to other conditions.,Incomplete records of private treatment are necessary to determine whether the Veteran's TDIU rating should be granted.
- Claimed conditions
- Urinary Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Major Depressive Disorder, Anxiety, Low Back Disability, Cervical Spine Disability, Right Hip DJD (Degenerative Joint Disease), Left Hip DJD, Right Knee DJD, Left Knee DJD, Right Ankle DJD, Left Ankle DJD, Right Foot DJD, Left Foot DJD, Right Lower Extremity Peripheral Neuropathy, Left Lower Extremity Peripheral Neuropathy, Right Shoulder DJD, Left Shoulder DJD, Right Hand Disability, Left Hand Disability, Right Upper Extremity Peripheral Neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 1, 2020
- Citation
- 20037088
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 20037088.
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 claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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