The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection due to errors in duty to assist and incomplete evidence. The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder is based on a stressor event during INACDUTRA, but the exact dates of this service are unclear. For the knee/low leg disabilities, the VA opinions found no relationship to service.
The deciding factor: The Board has determined that there were duty to assist errors and incomplete evidence regarding the Veteran's service records and exposure history.
- Claimed conditions
- right knee disability, left knee disability, right leg shin splints, left leg shin splints, acquired psychiatric disorder (including generalized anxiety disorder with depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD))
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 19, 2024
- Citation
- A24019877
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 A24019877.
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.
- 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 decided to remand the case due to insufficient rationale in the July 2012 VA examination for the Veteran's left knee disability, and a new addendum opinion is needed.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of right leg shin splints during a hearing before the Board. As a result, the appeal is dismissed.
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