The Veteran's claims for abdominal muscle strain, constipation, and OSA have been denied as she does not have current diagnoses of these conditions.,Her low back disorder (claimed as scoliosis/lordosis) is remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion regarding its etiology.,The Veteran's right and left knee disorders are also remanded, with a focus on determining their relationship to service-connected shin splints.
The deciding factor: The Veteran does not have current diagnoses of abdominal muscle strain or constipation. Her STRs do not mention these conditions, and her recent VA examination found no current pathology.,Regarding OSA, the Veteran's STRs do not indicate any diagnosis, and a negative home sleep study was performed. The Veteran's insomnia is already compensated by her service-connected psychiatric disorder.,For the low back disorder (claimed as scoliosis/lordosis), the Veteran has provided credible testimony about symptoms during service and post-service X-rays showing loss of lordosis. However, the examiner must consider her post-service history to form a complete opinion.,The right and left knee disorders are remanded because their current status needs clarification in relation to shin splints, which is already service-connected.
- Claimed conditions
- Abdominal muscle strain, Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), Low back disorder (claimed as scoliosis/lordosis), Right knee disorder, Left knee disorder, Bilateral foot/toe disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 23, 2023
- Citation
- 23046937
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 23046937.
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
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The Veteran's 100% rating for hemorrhagic stroke is granted effective March 19, 2021. OSA and periodic limb movement syndrome are denied service connection. Pituitary mass remains under review.
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