The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including left shoulder, right elbow, left elbow, right wrist, left wrist (carpal tunnel syndrome), right hip, left hip, right knee, and bilateral hearing loss. The AOJ is instructed to obtain all available records from the Veteran’s National Guard service, particularly those from 2014 through his retirement in March 2018.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's claims were not properly developed due to incomplete service medical records and ordered further efforts to locate these records.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder disability, right elbow disability, left elbow disability, right wrist disability, left wrist disability (carpal tunnel syndrome), right hip disability, left hip disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 22, 2020
- Citation
- 20080333
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- 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.
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