The Board has determined that further development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including depression, lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, left upper extremity radiculopathy, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, jaw disability, GERD, IBS, and tension headaches. The records will be sought to provide more information on these claims.
The deciding factor: The Board found conflicting medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's conditions and insufficient evidence linking them to service.
- Claimed conditions
- depression, invertebral disc disease (IVDS) of the lumbar spine with degenerative arthritis, IVDS of the cervical spine with strain, left upper extremity radiculopathy, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, jaw disability, to include bilateral articular disc disorder reducing, with masticatory myalgia and sleep related bruxism, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 28, 2023
- Citation
- 23068157
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 23068157.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining in-service psychiatric treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder.
- Denied
The Veteran's depression was rated at 50 percent prior to July 1, 2016. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. For TDIU, the Veteran had multiple service-connected disabilities but his education and work experience were sufficient for sedentary or light labor employment.
- Granted
The Veteran's depression was rated at 50 percent prior to September 27, 2017. From September 27, 2017, the rating for depression increased to 70 percent.
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