The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for various types of arthritis, including left shoulder, right shoulder, jaw, left leg, and right leg arthritis. The Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents while stationed on Okinawa and may have been exposed to other toxic substances during his service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents and possible exposure to other toxic substances during service is relevant to determining whether his current arthritis conditions are related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder arthritis, right shoulder arthritis, jaw arthritis, left leg arthritis, right leg arthritis, lumbar spine arthritis
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 13, 2020
- Citation
- 20053844
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 20053844.
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 Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine arthritis is aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings for lumbar spine arthritis and right lower extremity sciatica have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's November 2018 notice of disagreement was timely, and the appeal is remanded for further review.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and dismissed all other appeals related to various joint conditions.
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