The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for multiple sclerosis and associated upper and lower extremity disorders, as well as muscle pain and spasticity disorder, vertigo, intermittent fecal incontinence not otherwise specified (bowel problems, gastrointestinal problems), neurogenic bladder disorder, and cervical spine disorder. The reasons for this are that there is insufficient evidence to determine the etiology of these conditions or whether they are related to service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that a definitive diagnosis of multiple sclerosis has not been provided by VA examiners, and thus remanded for further examination to clarify the nature of the Veteran's condition. The Board also noted that there is insufficient evidence to determine if any of these conditions were proximately due or aggravated by service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Multiple Sclerosis, Right Upper Extremity Disorder (numbness, weakness, tingling), Left Upper Extremity Disorder (numbness, weakness, tingling), Right Lower Extremity Disability (numbness, weakness, tingling), Left Lower Extremity (numbness, weakness, tingling), Muscle Pain and Spasticity Disorder, Vertigo, Intermittent Fecal Incontinence not otherwise specified (bowel problems, gastrointestinal problems), Neurogenic Bladder Disorder, Cervical Spine Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 18, 2023
- Citation
- 23003149
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 23003149.
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 granted service connection for multiple sclerosis, finding that it manifested to a degree of 10 percent or more within seven years of the Veteran's separation from service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine disability, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left foot crush injury, and sciatic radiculopathy of both lower extremities, also secondary to the newly service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for depressive disorder with unspecified anxiety disorder and a compensable rating for allergic rhinitis.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, effective August 28, 2018, due to clear and unmistakable error in the October 2018 rating decision. Service connection was also granted for major depressive disorder (MDD) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for service-connected vertigo, finding that the evidence did not support an evaluation in excess of 10 percent.
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