The Board has remanded the claims for service connection, initial rating of knee strain, and SMC due to need for aid and attendance or being housebound. The Veteran's claim for service connection is based on aggravation of a pre-existing condition.
The deciding factor: The VA examination report did not comply with the requirements set forth in Correia v. McDonald (2016) and Sharp v. Shulkin (2017).
- Claimed conditions
- sharp back stiffness, left-sided facial pain, general joint pain of the ankle and leg
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 6, 2023
- Citation
- 23007488
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 23007488.
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 veteran is seeking an increased rating for his service-connected residuals of a left mandible fracture, which he contends are severe enough to warrant such. The RO has granted service connection and assigned a non-compensable rating but the veteran disagrees with this decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right shoulder disability and migraines/chronic headaches are remanded for additional development due to insufficient opinions on the etiology of her conditions.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine arthritis is aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service connected due to his fear of hostile military activity during his Vietnam service.
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