The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are preventing him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board finds a remand is required to obtain updated information about his most recent employment and to request an opinion regarding the combined effects of his service-connected conditions on his employability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has multiple service-connected disabilities that have affected his ability to work, including those related to his prostate cancer, coronary artery disease, joint issues, skin rashes, and other medical conditions. The Board requires additional development to obtain updated information about his employment status and to request an opinion from a VA examiner regarding the combined effects of these conditions on his employability.
- Claimed conditions
- urinary hesitancy as residual of prostate cancer with radical prostatectomy, coronary artery disease, degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder status post total arthroplasty, left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, amputation of the middle right finger, fusion of the lumbar spine, left knee degenerative joint disease status post arthroscopic debridement, right knee degenerative joint disease status post arthroscopic debridement, tinnitus, lower extremity skin rashes, peptic ulcer disease, bilateral hearing loss, scars on right upper shoulder status post arthroplasty, erectile dysfunction as residual of prostate cancer with radical prostatectomy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 4, 2021
- Citation
- 21012442
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 21012442.
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 appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
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