The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for fibromyalgia due to inconsistencies in medical opinions and incomplete records. The Veteran contends her symptoms began shortly after arriving at Midway Island, but a November 2020 examiner found no current diagnosis of fibromyalgia.
The deciding factor: The Board is unable to proceed with the merits of the claim without an adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of any diagnosed fibromyalgia and its relationship to service.
- Claimed conditions
- fibromyalgia, degenerative arthritis of the right hand and right thumb, right knee osteoarthritis, left ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, right lateral collateral ligament sprain, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, impairment of the left thigh, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, limitation of flexion of the left thigh
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 12, 2021
- Citation
- 21021372
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 21021372.
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 claim for service connection for migraines was reopened due to new evidence. Service connection is granted for painful scars, but the rating assigned remains at 10 percent. The claims for fibromyalgia and bilateral shoulder disability are denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has expanded the scope of the claim for major depression to encompass any mental health disability raised by the record and has remanded six issues for additional development.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, as there are insufficient medical opinions and records. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development.
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