The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran failed to attend several scheduled VA examinations, which is a requirement for proper evaluation of his claims. The evidence suggests worsening symptoms but lacks sufficient medical examination to determine the current severity of his disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar degenerative disc disease, right knee disability, left knee disability, traumatic brain injury (TBI), headaches, bilateral hearing loss, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and a lung abcess, acquired psychiatric disorder, to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and an adjustment disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 20, 2021
- Citation
- 21031065
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 21031065.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
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