The Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and bilateral pes planus have been reopened. The claim of nutritional deficiency, skin disorders, anemia, eye disorder, and headaches secondary to hypothyroidism are also being remanded.,Service connection is being remanded for the Veteran’s low back disorder, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities.
The deciding factor: The evidence received since the April 1993 rating decision raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims for service connection.,There is no objective data to support that the Veteran's current headaches are a chronic continuation of her active duty service. The examiner also noted multiple co-morbid conditions and general life stressors as potential causes.
- Claimed conditions
- Low Back Disorder, Bilateral Pes Planus, Nutritional Deficiency (presumed secondary to hypothyroidism), Xerosis (skin disorder) (presumed secondary to hypothyroidism), Dermatitis (skin disorder) (presumed secondary to hypothyroidism), Anemia (presumed secondary to hypothyroidism), Eye Disorder (other than dry eyes) (presumed secondary to hypothyroidism), Headaches (presumed secondary to hypothyroidism and/or schizophrenia), Hypertension (not related to hypothyroidism)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 4, 2021
- Citation
- 21012363
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 21012363.
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's appeals for an initial compensable rating for athletes' foot and a greater than 30 percent rating for bilateral pes planus have been dismissed due to untimely VA Form 10182 submissions.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome has been remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection for traumatic brain injury is granted, and he is awarded a higher level of SMC based on the need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected PTSD and additional disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical evidence in the file on which to decide these claims. The appellant's VA treatment records contain diagnoses of GAD and OSA, and he reported symptoms related to his disabilities during service. A new examination and opinion are required to determine if the acquired psychiatric disorder is associated with service, as well as for OSA and bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis.
- Granted
The Board has granted a higher initial rating of 100 percent for PTSD effective April 3, 2024, and assigned an earlier effective date of August 29, 2024, for allergic rhinitis. The Veteran's claim for DEA benefits and a higher initial rating for bilateral pes planus is denied.
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