The Board has found that VA examinations are necessary for the Veteran's claims of service connection for esophageal stricture and stenosis, scoliosis with degenerative joint disease and spinal stenosis (back disability), and inflammation of meniscus of the left knee. The Board also finds a remand is necessary to obtain the Veteran's Social Security Administration records.
The deciding factor: The Board found that VA examinations are needed due to the complexity of the claims, including the need to determine if there is a nexus between the disabilities and service.
- Claimed conditions
- esophageal stricture and stenosis, scoliosis with degenerative joint disease and spinal stenosis (back disability), inflammation of meniscus of the left knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 14, 2021
- Citation
- 21063369
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 21063369.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for esophageal stricture and stenosis, as well as his scoliosis with degenerative disc disease and thoracic and lumbar osteopenia. The case is being returned to the RO for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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