The Board has remanded the claim for service connection of RSD of the LUE, as secondary to service-connected RSD of the LLE. The case will be reviewed based on a new VA medical opinion addressing the Veteran's lay assertions and whether her current RSD of the LUE is related to her service-connected RSD of the LLE.
The deciding factor: The Board found the previous VA examiner's opinion inadequate due to speculative reasoning, and requested an updated opinion that addresses the Veteran's lay assertions regarding the spread of pain from her lower extremity to her upper extremity.
- Claimed conditions
- Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) of the left upper extremity (LUE), RSD of the left lower extremity (LLE)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 3, 2023
- Citation
- 23007097
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 23007097.
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 determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Granted
The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be caused by his service-connected low back and radiculopathy disabilities, which prevent him from doing enjoyable activities and daily living tasks.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any related exposure.
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