The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder rotator cuff injury and cervical spine strain are remanded. The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is also remanded due to the National Academy of Sciences' categorization of hypertension as 'limited or suggestive evidence of an association' with herbicide exposure. The Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction is also remanded, including whether it is related to his PTSD and/or hypertension.,The Veteran’s TDIU claim is remanded due to its being intertwined with the issues of service connection.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not address the relationship between the Veteran's presumed exposure to herbicides and his current hypertension. The examiner also did not comment on whether erectile dysfunction was caused or aggravated by PTSD, traumatic brain injury, hypertension, or other conditions.,The TDIU claim is intertwined with the issues of service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- malaria, bilateral shoulder rotator cuff injury, cervical spine strain, hypertension, erectile dysfunction
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20071937
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 granted an effective date of October 21, 2021, for the grant of service connection for hypertension.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for headaches and increased ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, and left and right leg restless leg syndrome. The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.