The Board has found that there was not substantial compliance with the May 2018 remand directives and has ordered additional development to obtain VA treatment records from Allen Park VAMC, Detroit VAMC, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, and any TRICARE records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of the knees, ankles, arms, hands, feet, and back is remanded.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was not substantial compliance with the May 2018 remand directives regarding obtaining VA treatment records from Allen Park VAMC, Detroit VAMC, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, and any TRICARE records. The Veteran's claim for service connection is therefore remanded.
- Claimed conditions
- rheumatoid arthritis of the knees, rheumatoid arthritis of the ankles, rheumatoid arthritis of the arms, rheumatoid arthritis of the hands, rheumatoid arthritis of the feet, rheumatoid arthritis of the back
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 17, 2022
- Citation
- 22015383
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 22015383.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for gastrointestinal problems and service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of the back. The claims for other conditions were remanded due to inadequate VA examinations.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of the hands, feet, and left ankle based on a nexus to in-service injuries.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected low back disability did not render him unemployable prior to January 15, 2016. The Board found that his other conditions and work history precluded him from obtaining substantially gainful employment.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as his claim for increased ratings. The case will be returned to the Board after this development.
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