The Board remands the claim for a sinus and respiratory condition to obtain an appropriate medical examination to determine if any diagnosed conditions are related or aggravated by exposure to Gulf War environmental hazards.
The deciding factor: The December 2007 VA examiner provided an opinion that the Veteran's nasal condition could have been aggravated by his service in Iraq, but did not specify a current disability and did not rule out smoking as a contributing factor. A new examination is necessary for clarity.
- Claimed conditions
- nasal congestion and allegoric symptoms secondary to toxic irritants while in Iraq
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 20, 2009
- Citation
- 0910470
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
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