The Board has found that the Veteran's hypertension, constipation, and urinary incontinence/bladder overactivity disorder are service-connected. However, several issues related to her cervical spine disability, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and higher initial ratings for these conditions have been remanded due to insufficient evidence.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there is not sufficient evidence to determine whether the Veteran's cervical spine condition arose in service or was aggravated by her service-connected lumbar spine disability. The opinion provided by R.T., D.O. did not specify a period of active service and thus, it is unclear if this condition can be considered service-connected.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension, constipation, urinary incontinence/bladder overactivity disorder
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 14, 2023
- Citation
- 23039026
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 23039026.
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 claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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