The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including left and right knee, shoulder, back, ankle, elbow, and sciatica conditions, due to a failure to provide adequate VA examinations and incomplete verification of National Guard service.
The deciding factor: Remand is necessary due to lack of 'good cause' for the Veteran's absence from scheduled VA examinations and unverified National Guard service dates/status.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee disability, also claimed as shin splints, right knee disability, also claimed as shin splints, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, low back disability, mid-back disability, left lower extremity sciatica, right lower extremity sciatica, right ankle disability, right elbow disability, left elbow disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 6, 2025
- Citation
- A25040954
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities to the AOJ for further development and consideration of evidence not previously considered.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed conditions, including right shoulder arthritis, left shoulder arthritis, right hip condition, left hip condition, low back disability, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, as there was no evidence of in-service injury or illness related to these conditions.
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