The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including TBI, low back disability, knee and shoulder disabilities, nerve damage of upper extremities, urticaria, allergic rhinitis, chronic diarrhea, and left ear hearing loss. The Veteran will need new examinations for these conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's testimony indicated worsening symptoms and a need for updated medical opinions regarding his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Low Back Disability, Bilateral Knee Disability, Bilateral Shoulder Disability, Nerve Damage of the Right Upper Extremity, Nerve Damage of the Left Upper Extremity, Urticaria, Allergic Rhinitis, Chronic Diarrhea, Left Ear Hearing Loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 6, 2021
- Citation
- 21027736
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 21027736.
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 Veteran's allergic rhinitis is currently rated as 10 percent disabling prior to September 16, 2024 and noncompensable thereafter. The Board found the evidence against finding that his condition met the criteria for a higher rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his low back, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations. The AOJ is instructed to obtain private treatment records from Mays & Schnapp Pain Management and schedule the Veteran for additional medical examinations.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disability, including diagnosed degenerative arthritis with DDD other than intervertebral disc syndrome and spinal stenosis status post L3, L4, and L5 laminectomy. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service injury and his ongoing symptoms since then.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its residuals, including unsteady gait, somnolence, and cognitive dysfunction. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible lay statements about in-service head injuries and subsequent seizures.
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