The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to inadequate medical opinions in previous decisions. The issues include bilateral hip disorder, hypertensive vascular disease, respiratory disorder (COPD), brain disorder, left knee strain, and right knee injury.
The deciding factor: Previous decisions were based on insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's conditions and the relationship to service or exposure to herbicides. The Board has ordered remand for further evaluation by VA clinicians.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hip disorder, hypertensive vascular disease, respiratory disorder (COPD), brain disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 16, 2021
- Citation
- 21014867
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 21014867.
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 remanded the claims for a VA examination and medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's low back disorder and bilateral hip disorder are related to his service-connected Crohn's disease.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hip disorders due to a lack of current diagnoses in the medical records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to address the etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, heart disorder (atrial fibrillation), and respiratory disorder (COPD). The claims are being remanded due to the need for these opinions.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hypertensive vascular disease, concussion, diabetes mellitus, seizure disability, bilateral pes planus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (alcohol use disorder in sustained remission and PTSD). The effective date for hypertension was denied as the Veteran's claim was received within one year of the PACT Act.
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