The Board has decided to remand several issues, including the Veteran's claims for service connection for his bilateral thigh disability as secondary to his service-connected back disability and for increased ratings of various disabilities. The decision also includes a request for additional VA examinations and an updated VA Form 21-8940.
The deciding factor: The Board found that no opinion was provided regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral thigh disability, and thus remanded to obtain such an opinion. Additionally, the Board noted that several years had passed since the last VA examination for some of the disabilities in question, and therefore requested additional examinations.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral thigh disability, right hand tendonitis, right lateral epicondylitis, right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, GERD, thoracolumbar spine spondylosis, right wrist tenosynovitis, bilateral plantar fascitis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 22, 2020
- Citation
- 20042223
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 20042223.
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 claims for service connection and increased ratings have been granted. The initial rating of 10 percent, but not higher, has been assigned for pulmonary sarcoidosis. Service connection has also been established for migraine headaches, degenerative arthritis in the left knee, right knee disorder (osteoarthritis), right ankle sprain, right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, bilateral flat feet, and various foot conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA opinion and a need for further examination.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for GERD is granted, and the appeal to restore a 40% rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc other than IVDS, central canal stenosis, and scoliosis prior to June 1, 2024 is dismissed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error, specifically failing to obtain an opinion on whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities contributed to his accidental drowning death.
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