The Veteran's eczema (skin rashes) and impingement of the right shoulder are related to his active military service, but the Board finds that VA did not obtain adequate medical opinions prior to the February 2019 rating decision. The Veteran's back condition is related to service, but the VA medical opinions do not address whether it was aggravated by service.,The Veteran's multilevel spondylosis with facet arthropathy of the lumbar spine is related to his active military service and is not aggravated by service.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that the VA medical opinions are inadequate because they did not address whether the Veteran's conditions were aggravated by service.,The Board finds that the Veteran's back condition was caused by service, as evidenced by his service treatment records and his self-reported history of injury during service.
- Claimed conditions
- eczema (skin rashes), impingement of the right shoulder, multilevel spondylosis with facet arthropathy, lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 19, 2023
- Citation
- A23029052
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 A23029052.
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 remanded the case due to concerns about the competency of VA examiners and a need for a new medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's right arm disabilities and service.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's applications to reopen his claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension, both secondary to PTSD. The other claims have been denied as new and material evidence was not provided.
- Dismissed
The veteran withdrew his appeal for earlier effective dates of service connection for various disabilities, and the claims were dismissed.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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