The Board has determined that the VA opinions obtained are inadequate to adjudicate the claims with respect to service connection for thoracic spine, cervical spine, and elbow disabilities. The Veteran's reports of in-service injuries and ongoing pain since service discharge must be considered.,The Veteran is entitled to a remand for additional examinations regarding his claimed right knee osteoarthritis and TDIU.
The deciding factor: The VA opinions obtained are inadequate as they do not consider the Veteran's credible reports of in-service injuries and ongoing pain since service discharge. The claims must be remanded for further examination to address these issues.,The Veteran is entitled to a remand for additional examinations regarding his claimed right knee osteoarthritis and TDIU, as these matters are intertwined with the service connection claims.
- Claimed conditions
- Thoracic spine disability, Cervical spine disability, Headaches, Left elbow disability, Right elbow disability, Right shoulder disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 13, 2021
- Citation
- 21002357
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 21002357.
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 Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right elbow disability and a nasal disability, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease resulting in these conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available under the General Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The evidence does not support a higher rating as his range of motion did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for obstructive sleep apnea and headaches, finding that the evidence does not support a finding of persistent daytime hypersomnolence or other manifestations consistent with a compensable disability rating under the criteria established by Diagnostic Codes. The matter is remanded to obtain additional information from the Veteran regarding his headaches and their impact on his daily life.
- Granted
The Veteran's OSA is granted as secondary to PTSD, but his headaches are denied due to lack of service connection.
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