The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current bronchitis and his exposure to diesel exhaust fumes while on active duty. The appeal is also remanded to obtain post-January 2010 treatment records from the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center.
The deciding factor: The Board found that a VA medical opinion was needed regarding the etiology of the Veteran's chronic bronchitis due to conflicting opinions and need for further evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic bronchitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 27, 2014
- Citation
- 1423720
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 1423720.
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 decided to remand the case due to a lack of adequate examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed chronic bronchitis. The Veteran is seeking service connection for this condition, which was denied in an initial decision. The VA examiner did not address the medical record indicating a current diagnosis of chronic bronchitis.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for depression, Gram Positive Cocci Condition, chronic bronchitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and diseases of Keratinization due to untimely filing of the Decision Review Request.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for chronic bronchitis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his active duty service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for chronic bronchitis and remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to duty-to-assist errors.
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