The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his ankle, foot, and knee disabilities. The issues of peripheral neuropathy are also being remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the back disability.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on the need for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's service connection claims due to the complexity and medical nature of the issues.
- Claimed conditions
- right ankle disability, lumbar strain and mild degenerative disc disease, left ankle disability, right foot disability, left foot disability, left knee disability, lumbar strain and mild degenerative disc disease (secondary to lumbar strain and mild degenerative disc disease), peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 27, 2020
- Citation
- 20049732
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 20049732.
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 Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has expanded the scope of the claim to include any mental health disorder raised by the record and has remanded for additional development regarding service connection for left leg, ankle, and psychiatric disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
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