The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination to determine if he has loss of use of his upper or lower extremities, which would be required for SMC(r)(1) entitlement. The current VA examination was deemed inadequate and additional development is needed.
The deciding factor: The current VA examination did not provide sufficient detail on the Veteran's condition due to service-connected disabilities, necessitating further evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Osteoarthritis of the left elbow, Left elbow status post total arthroplasty, Residuals of thymoma, status post excision of the thymus, Ulnar nerve impingement, status post fracture of left radial head, Surgical scarring of the left elbow, Painful sternotomy scar associated with residuals of thymoma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 23, 2021
- Citation
- 21070195
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 21070195.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
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 PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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