The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination due to concerns about the adequacy of the August 2017 VA examination, as well as the need for updated treatment records. The TDIU claim is inextricably intertwined with the sickle cell disease rating claim.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the August 2017 VA examination was inadequate and needed to be supplemented by a specialist's evaluation due to changes in the Veteran's symptoms over time.
- Claimed conditions
- sickle cell disease, sickle cell trait
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 4, 2020
- Citation
- 20038459
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 20038459.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for sickle cell trait as it is a congenital defect not subject to service connection. The right knee condition was remanded due to an incomplete medical opinion regarding its etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional development regarding the Veteran's claim for service connection for sickle cell trait.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection have been improperly adjudicated due to a failure to obtain all relevant medical records and Social Security disability records. The case is being remanded to correct this error.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's adult daughter, P. J., is diagnosed with sickle cell disease and may be receiving Social Security Disability benefits. The AOJ failed to obtain relevant SSA records for P. J. prior to the November 2023 rating decision, which requires remand.
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