The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA medical opinion and incomplete VA treatment records. The Veteran is seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for left leg below-the-knee amputation surgery, alleging that he contracted MRSA from another patient while rehabilitating at St. Cloud VAMC following a December 2013 surgery on his left leg.
The deciding factor: The Board found the March 2016 VA medical opinion inadequate and the VA treatment records incomplete, necessitating further development to obtain an addendum opinion and complete VA treatment records.
- Claimed conditions
- left leg below-the-knee amputation
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20044764
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 20044764.
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 compensation under 38 U.S.C. §1151 for the left leg below-the-knee amputation was dismissed due to his death after the Court remanded the matter.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the schedular criteria for award of a TDIU, and entitlement to TDIU is granted from November 1, 2019.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records related to a left leg amputation and providing VA examinations. The claims will be reconsidered after this additional development.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.