The Veteran's appeals for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,Specifically, the Board is requesting complete medical opinions with detailed rationales citing appropriate medical principles for each disability and prong of these claims.
The deciding factor: The appeals require further clarification regarding the causation of the Veteran's disabilities and the adequacy of VA treatment. The current medical opinions are insufficient to meet the requirements set forth in Barr v. Nicholson.
- Claimed conditions
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Gastrointestinal Disability, to include Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Right Shoulder Disability, Left Shoulder Disability, Bilateral Lower Extremity Disability, Bilateral Upper Extremity Disability, Back Disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 1, 2023
- Citation
- 23058902
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 23058902.
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 claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities are remanded. The claim for sleep disorder (claimed as sleep apnea) remains denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an effective date before April 1, 2018 for a 20% rating for left shoulder disability was denied. The appeal also resulted in the assignment of a 20% rating from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2018, and a TDIU granted from April 1, 2018 to September 3, 2025.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities, finding insufficient evidence to establish an in-service event or injury related to his shoulders. The Veteran's current shoulder conditions are not linked to his military service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its residuals, including unsteady gait, somnolence, and cognitive dysfunction. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible lay statements about in-service head injuries and subsequent seizures.
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