The Veteran is seeking service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia and fibromyalgia, which he claims are related to exposure to jet fuel during his military service. The Board has determined that the VA examiner's opinions were inadequate due to their failure to consider the Veteran's lay testimony regarding his exposure to jet fuel.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner failed to adequately address the Veteran's contentions and lay statements regarding his exposure to jet fuel, which is a critical factor in determining service connection for these conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic lymphocytic leukemia, fibromyalgia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 30, 2015
- Citation
- 1504636
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 1504636.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines was reopened due to new evidence. Service connection is granted for painful scars, but the rating assigned remains at 10 percent. The claims for fibromyalgia and bilateral shoulder disability are denied.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, fibromyalgia, and vertigo. The decision found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or a service-connected disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the AOJ did not obtain all necessary opinions regarding whether the Veteran's symptoms are related to an undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness (MUCMI). The claims for service connection for fatigue, fibromyalgia, left elbow disorder, right elbow disorder, and sleep disorder are remanded for further development.
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