The Board has remanded the claims for erectile dysfunction, gastrointestinal disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, right ankle disorder, cold injury residuals in the lower extremities, low back disability, and heart disability due to incomplete service records.,The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder and sleep apnea are being remanded as they may be related to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board also directed that an opinion should be obtained on whether the Veteran’s hypertension is secondary to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.,The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for cold injury residuals in the lower extremities and right ankle disorder are being remanded as they may be related to his service-connected low back disability. The Board also directed that an opinion should be obtained on whether the Veteran’s heart disability is secondary to his hypertension.,The Veteran's claims of entitlement to a higher rating for right shoulder bursitis and degenerative joint disease prior to December 27, 2019, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter are being remanded due to incomplete service records. The Board directed that an examination should be obtained to estimate the functional loss during flare-ups.,The Veteran's claims for heart disability and hypertension are also being remanded as they may be related to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.
The deciding factor: Incomplete service records prevent a determination on the merits of the claims. The Board must seek additional information from the VA or other sources.,The Veteran's lay statements suggest that his gastrointestinal and sleep apnea disorders are related to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, but an objective opinion is needed to determine causation.,The Veteran's cold injury residuals and right ankle disorder may be related to his low back disability. An examination should be obtained to assess the extent of any current disabilities.,Incomplete service records prevent a determination on the merits of the claims. The Board must seek additional information from the VA or other sources.,Incomplete service records prevent a determination on the merits of the claims. The Board must seek additional information from the VA or other sources.
- Claimed conditions
- erectile dysfunction, gastrointestinal disorder, sleep disorder (including sleep apnea), hypertension, right ankle disorder, cold injury residuals in the lower extremities, low back disability, heart disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20052297
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 20052297.
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 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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
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