The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an addendum VA opinion regarding service connection and aggravation of hepatitis C.
The deciding factor: The previous VA examiner used the incorrect standard in finding that the Veteran's disabilities were not aggravated by her service-connected hepatitis C, and did not provide rationale for this conclusion.
- Claimed conditions
- swollen joints, left rotator cuff tear with left acromioclavicular arthritis, lumbosacral degenerative disc and degenerative joint disease with history of right L5-S1 radiculopathy, left and right carpal tunnel syndrome, left and right de Quervain's tenosynovitis, left and right middle trigger fingers (3rd digits)
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 26, 2021
- Citation
- 21004207
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 21004207.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations to clarify his diagnoses and determine if service connection can be established.
- Granted
The Board has granted an effective date of July 15, 2013 for the award of Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The portion of the decision that dismissed entitlement to an earlier effective date prior to December 6, 2016, is vacated.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a disability manifested by swollen joints, finding that her current condition is not related to service or a service-connected disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's osteoporosis of the bones is remanded for further examination to determine its relationship to service.
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