The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to lack of compliance with previous remand directives and insufficient rationale in the VA examiner's opinions. The Veteran's right and left upper extremities disabilities, including tendonitis, are being reviewed again to determine if they are related to herbicide exposure or any other service-connected conditions. Similarly, his right and left lower extremities neuropathy is also being evaluated for a possible link to herbicide exposure.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not provide sufficient rationale in the previous opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's disabilities and failed to address all relevant factors as per the June 2022 remand directives.
- Claimed conditions
- Right upper extremity disability, Left upper extremity disability, Right lower extremity neuropathy, Left lower extremity neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 12, 2022
- Citation
- 22068200
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 22068200.
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 decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations, and a new examination is required to determine if the Veteran's right upper extremity disability is related to his active service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's TBI and other specified trauma disorder are being remanded for further evaluation.,The Veteran's increased rating claim for other specified trauma disorder is also being remanded.,Service connection for ulcerative pancolitis, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic anemia, skin disability (psoriasis), sleep apnea, cervical spine disability, right knee disability, left hip disability, and right lower extremity neuropathy are all being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion.,The Veteran's service connection claims will be addressed based on his credible history of service in combat zones.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right and left lower extremity neuropathy require additional development due to missing medical evidence, specifically an EMG from June 2023. The VA examinations also did not consider the ameliorative effects of medication on the severity of the disability.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), both due to herbicide exposure, is granted.,Service connection for GERD secondary to PTSD is also granted. The Veteran has left lower extremity neuropathy but no current diagnosis of left upper or right lower extremity neuropathy.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.