The Board remands the claims for service connection for thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis, left shoulder strain, right shoulder degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, and bilateral plantar fasciitis to obtain an addendum opinion that considers the Veteran's lay statements.
The deciding factor: The May 2021 VA examiner did not adequately consider the Veteran's and his sister's competent statements concerning his symptomology which would be capable of lay observation by after service.
- Claimed conditions
- thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis, left shoulder strain, right shoulder degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, bilateral plantar fasciitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 22, 2024
- Citation
- A24067663
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.
- Granted
The Board granted a separate rating of 10 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis effective February 1, 2023.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's service connection for left shoulder strain, labral tear, acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, and tendinitis was granted, while the effective date prior to November 11, 2023, for migraine headaches was denied.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee meniscal tear with degenerative arthritis and granted a separate 20 percent rating for right knee instability.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 70 percent for the Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder due to another medical condition with depressive features and generalized anxiety disorder, denied a higher rating for his migraine including migraine variants, and denied ratings for other conditions.
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