The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's right hand residuals of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) are related to his service-connected Lyme disease and if so, whether it is secondary.
The deciding factor: The medical opinion provided did not clearly differentiate between CTS symptoms and those associated with Lyme disease, nor did it address the specific issue of whether CTS was aggravated by Lyme disease.
- Claimed conditions
- right hand residuals of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), status post surgery, Lyme disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 12, 2020
- Citation
- 20072744
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial 60 percent rating for coronary artery disease (CAD), status post myocardial infarction, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective May 27, 2021.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a compensable rating for service-connected Lyme disease, TDIU, and SMC based on housebound status due to errors in the previous decision.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and special monthly compensation, as well as DEA benefits, due to no evidence of a claim being filed within one year of separation from service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, obesity, and multiple nerve and skin disorders, as well as denied initial compensable ratings for several disabilities.
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