The Board has granted service connection for middle back strain. The claims of service connection for PTSD, bilateral hip sprain, and bilateral shoulder strain are remanded due to a duty to assist error.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's disabilities may have onset during military service or be causally related to his active service, but further examination is needed to determine this relationship.
- Claimed conditions
- middle back strain, posttraumatic disorder (PTSD), bilateral hip sprain, bilateral shoulder strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 5, 2026
- Citation
- A26000472
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 A26000472.
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 Board has determined that there was a duty to assist error and remands the claims for bilateral shoulder strain, ankle tendonitis, and patellofemoral pain syndrome due to inadequate VA opinions.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his claims for all issues in the docket, resulting in the dismissal of the appeal.
- Dismissed
The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection for middle back strain and pseudofolliculitis barbae. As a result, the claims are dismissed.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral shoulder disability is related to service, resolving all doubts in his favor. The evidence shows a current diagnosis of bilateral shoulder strain and degenerative arthritis, which the Veteran attributes to injuries sustained during military service.
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