The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional VA clinical records.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for lateral collateral ligament sprain, left ankle is being remanded as he has submitted evidence indicating an increase in his occupational impairment since the October 2016 examination.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and entitlement to a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss are being remanded due to inadequate rationale provided by the VA examiner.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee disability is being remanded as there was no medical evidence of any pre-service injury or condition, and the need for an examination with opinion regarding whether it clearly and unmistakably preexisted service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee disability is being remanded due to inadequate rationale provided by the VA examiner. The need for an examination with opinion regarding whether it was related to a February 1988 inservice incident is also needed.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded as there are inextricably intertwined issues that must be addressed first.
The deciding factor: There were outstanding VA clinical records prior to the decision on appeal, which need to be obtained and associated with the claims file.,The Veteran submitted evidence indicating an increase in his occupational impairment since the October 2016 examination, necessitating a new VA examination.,The VA examiner's rationale for denying service connection was inadequate, requiring another VA examination with etiological opinion.,There is no medical evidence of any pre-service injury or condition for right knee disability, and an examination with opinion regarding whether it clearly and unmistakably preexisted service is needed.,An examination with opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current right knee disability was related to a February 1988 inservice incident is also needed.,The TDIU claim is inextricably intertwined with other issues on appeal, necessitating remand for resolution of those issues.
- Claimed conditions
- PTSD, lateral collateral ligament sprain, left ankle, left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, right knee disability, left knee disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 25, 2024
- Citation
- A24014113
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 A24014113.
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 Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
- 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.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for onychomycosis was denied as the condition did not require treatment and covered less than 5% of his body. The Board also remanded issues regarding service connection for left ear hearing loss and entitlement to a compensable disability rating for right ear hearing loss.
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