The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to his service-connected and non-service-connected disabilities, including ratings for various conditions. The AOJ is instructed to obtain the Veteran’s SSA records and update VA treatment records before readjudicating these claims.
The deciding factor: The AOJ must ensure that all relevant evidence has been obtained and reviewed in connection with the Veteran's appeal.
- Claimed conditions
- right knee iliotibial band syndrome, chronic bronchitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) to include chronic diarrhea, left shoulder impingement syndrome, migraine headaches, benign essential tremors of the hands, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), hearing loss, methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), neck disability, back disability, peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, hip disability, residual scar of the right upper/ inner thigh
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 14, 2020
- Citation
- 20060227
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 20060227.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Granted
The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus. However, it was determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus for VA purposes, thus denying both claims.
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