The Veteran's service-connected rectal fistula has worsened, requiring him to wear two pairs of underwear and a pad for drainage. The Board finds the March 2020 VA examination inadequate as it did not discuss the Veteran’s flare-ups, and the case is remanded for another examination.
The deciding factor: The March 2020 VA examination failed to address the Veteran's reported flare-ups and their impact on his condition.
- Claimed conditions
- rectal fistula
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20079006
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 20079006.
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 Veteran's rectal fistula was granted a 10 percent rating from March 30, 2014, and a 30 percent rating from May 10, 2018. The Board denied entitlement to a higher rating for the condition as of September 23, 2022.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions and failure of the Veteran to provide necessary private medical records. The claim will be returned for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing or special home adaptation was remanded due to the lack of loss of use in either lower extremity. The effective date for increased rating Crohn's disease remains January 15, 2008.
- Granted
The Veteran's rectal fistula, status post tear repair is granted an initial disability rating of 60 percent. The Veteran's rectum scar associated with rectal fistula status post tear repair is granted a compensable disability rating of 10 percent.
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