The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for arthritis of major joints, including his service-connected right elbow, right shoulder, cervical spine, and degenerative spine disabilities. The case is being returned due to a lack of substantial compliance with the June 2020 Board remand directives regarding radiation exposure.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not address whether radiation exposure could have caused the Veteran's arthritis in his hands and knees as requested by the June 2020 Board Decision.
- Claimed conditions
- arthritis of major joints
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Ionizing radiation
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 18, 2021
- Citation
- 21015743
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 21015743.
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 found that the veteran does not have current arthritis of major joints or bilateral high frequency hearing loss, and thus denied service connection for these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and VCAA compliance issues. The veteran is required to undergo VA examinations for arthritis of major joints and high frequency hearing loss, and her claims will be reviewed again after these exams are completed.
- Partly granted
The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection due to new and material evidence submitted, including medical records from his private physician and VA examinations. The claims are well-grounded as there is sufficient evidence to suggest a link between the veteran's current conditions and his military service.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
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