The Veteran's TDIU claim prior to November 10, 2015 was denied as the combined disability rating did not meet the minimum schedular criteria. The SMC claim since November 10, 2015 is remanded due to insufficient efforts in obtaining private medical records.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to November 10, 2015 and the VA failed to make reasonable efforts to obtain relevant private medical records for his SMC claim since that date.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine disability, hallux rigidus of the right foot, hallux rigidus of the left foot, bilateral foot scars
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 29, 2021
- Citation
- 21066401
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 21066401.
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 Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for miscarriage, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and right elbow disability due to insufficient examination opinions and incomplete service history verification.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, lumbar spine disability, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as these issues have been addressed in a separate docket.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. Service connection is being remanded for the lumbar spine disability and right knee and calf disabilities.
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