The Board granted readjudication of six service connection claims based on new and relevant evidence, including hearing testimony and a nexus statement from Dr. Townsend. All six claims were remanded for further development, including obtaining incomplete service treatment records, VA treatment records, private medical records, and adequate VA examinations and medical opinions.
The deciding factor: New and relevant evidence submitted after the last final denial, including testimony at the October 2024 hearing and Dr. Townsend's October 2024 nexus statement, met the threshold for readjudication under 38 C.F.R. § 3.156(d), but outstanding service records, VA records, private treatment records, and inadequate prior VA examinations required remand for proper development and adjudication.
- Claimed conditions
- headaches, left eye disorder, right eye disorder, right shoulder disorder, hepatitis C, left knee disorder
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 4, 2025
- Citation
- A25009849
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 granted service connection for headaches and increased ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, and left and right leg restless leg syndrome. The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an increased initial disability evaluation of headaches due to an inadequate VA examination.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C, jaundice, hypogeusia, and hyposmia as there was no evidence of a current disability during the pendency of the claim.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple disabilities, including cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, radiculopathies, a bladder disability, headaches, a left knee disability, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and bilateral conjunctivitis. The Board also granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability.
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