The Board is remanding the claims for further development due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran contends that his service-connected disabilities should be restored and he asserts that his current L-1 burst fracture symptoms are not contemplated by the currently assigned rating.
The deciding factor: There was a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection, reduction in disability rating, and TDIU.
- Claimed conditions
- neurogenic bladder, neurogenic bowel, bilateral lower extremity paralysis due to spinal cord injury with heterotropic ossification and non-displaced pelvic fractures
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 15, 2021
- Citation
- A21018207
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 A21018207.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including Parkinson's disease and related disabilities of the upper and lower extremities, have caused loss of use in both hands and need for aid and attendance due to his lower extremity disability, kidney disease, and neurogenic bladder. The Board has granted SMC based on these findings.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, a neurocognitive disorder, depression, and anxiety), benign prostatic hyperplasia, erectile dysfunction, neurogenic bladder, obstructive sleep apnea, and balance issues due to potential errors in the decision-making process.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The claims for PTSD, neck scars, quadriplegia, bladder and bowel issues have all been dismissed.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. Effective dates prior to July 27, 2023, are not warranted as the issues were not reasonably raised before that date.
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