The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the Veteran's lay contentions of symptoms since service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners did not adequately address the Veteran’s statements regarding his symptoms during and since service, which are considered competent evidence by law.
- Claimed conditions
- Muscle spasms, Allergies (skin condition), Muscle and joint pain of the knees, hands, and shoulders
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 12, 2021
- Citation
- 21001859
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 21001859.
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 neck disability and upper extremity radiculopathy were evaluated, but the VA determined that none of the conditions warranted a higher rating than what was currently assigned.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for muscle spasms, digestive disorder, bilateral shoulder disorders, right foot disorder, and left foot disorder. The reasons provided include that the Veteran did not serve in Korea and there were no reported symptoms of these conditions during or prior to his separation from active duty.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided that the Veteran's right shoulder disability and muscle spasms are not service-connected. The case is being remanded for further examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inadequate consideration of evidence and duty to assist.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.