The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including residuals of a left knee replacement surgery, cervical degenerative disc disease, multiple joint arthritis, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and hammer toes, to secure an etiology opinion in support of the Veteran's claims.
The deciding factor: Remand is necessary due to the lack of an etiology opinion regarding the likely relationship between the claimed conditions and the Veteran's active duty for training (ACDUTRA) or inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA).
- Claimed conditions
- Residuals of a left knee replacement surgery, Cervical degenerative disc disease, Multiple joint arthritis, to include the right shoulder and bilateral knees, Bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, Hammer toes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 18, 2024
- Citation
- 24002803
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 remands the claims for a left and right knee disability, fatty liver, eustachian tube dysfunction, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome due to inadequate VA examinations and medical opinions.
- Partly granted
The Board granted secondary service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and denied increased ratings for a cervical spine disability, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and posttraumatic stress disorder with depression/mood disorder.
- Dismissed
The veteran withdrew his appeal for all claims, including those related to various disabilities and service connection.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD was granted a total disability rating from August 22, 2019, and special monthly compensation at the housebound rate from September 30, 2019. The Veteran is also granted individual unemployability based on service-connected disabilities from December 1, 2013.
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