The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to ratings in excess of 10 percent for GERD, right knee contusion with clinical lateral meniscus tear, and lumbar spondylosis and lumbar muscle spasm. The Veteran's joint complaints are related to his bilateral hands, knees, and shoulder disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Board found deficiencies in the record regarding the nature and severity of the Veteran's right knee and lumbar spine disabilities, specifically noting that pain on range of motion testing was noted but not the point at which it began. The examiner is instructed to provide a detailed examination report including these findings.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Joint pain disability, Right knee contusion, clinical lateral meniscus tear, Lumbar spondylosis and lumbar muscle spasm
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 3, 2020
- Citation
- 20058573
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 20058573.
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 for service connection for Dupuytren's contracture of the left hand, right hand, and GERD is remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions and failure to consider toxic exposure risk activities during service.
- Denied
The Veteran's GERD is currently rated at 10 percent disabling, but the Board found that his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), finding that both conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lower back condition and sinusitis, respectively.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for bladder cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
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