The Board remands the service connection claims for acne and acne scarring, lower back degenerative arthritis, temporomandibular disorder, feet conditions including plantar fasciitis, Morton's neuroma, and left side sciatica due to missing active-duty service treatment records.
The deciding factor: A remand is required to obtain the Veteran's complete active-duty service treatment records as VA has a heightened duty to assist in this case.
- Claimed conditions
- acne and acne scarring, lower back degenerative arthritis, temporomandibular disorder, feet conditions including plantar fasciitis, Morton's neuroma, left side sciatica
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 21, 2025
- Citation
- A25045675
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 veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions were denied, except for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss disability which were granted. The veteran was also granted service connection for hypertension.
- Granted
The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to her service-connected disabilities, as the evidence demonstrated she was unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent from May 11, 2017 prior to February 29, 2024, and in excess of 40 percent from February 29, 2024 for a service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Granted
The Board grants service connection for lower back degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's low back condition began during his active duty service.
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