The Veteran's left shoulder disability is remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion considering repetitive lifting.,The Veteran's hepatitis C is remanded as the VA examiner did not provide adequate rationale regarding its relation to air gun inoculation.,The Veteran's kidney disability, related to hepatitis C, is remanded for a new addendum opinion addressing causation and aggravation by hepatitis C.,The Veteran's right hip disability is remanded for an addendum opinion considering the relationship to his service-connected right knee disability.,The effective date of the 10% evaluation for right knee disability is remanded due to lack of range of motion testing in the May 2019 VA examination.
The deciding factor: An addendum opinion is needed as the VA examiner did not consider repetitive lifting and provide a detailed explanation.,The VA examiner's rationale regarding air gun inoculation was found to be insufficient, necessitating further clarification.,A new addendum opinion is required to address whether hepatitis C caused or aggravated the kidney disability.,An addendum opinion must assess whether the right hip disability is related to his service-connected right knee disability and if it was caused or aggravated by it.,The VA examiner did not provide range of motion testing, which is necessary for a proper determination.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder disability, hepatitis C, kidney disability, right hip disability, right knee disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 13, 2020
- Citation
- 20065933
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities to the AOJ for further development and consideration of evidence not previously considered.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right knee, right hip, and lumbar spine disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability but denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for his left knee disability prior to April 25, 2019.
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