The Veteran's claim for service connection for a neurological disorder claimed as the result of exposure to defoliants is being remanded due to his failure to appear for a VA examination and changes in address. Additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling another VA examination, is required.
The deciding factor: The Veteran failed to report for a scheduled VA examination and there have been recent changes in his address. The case is being returned to the AOJ for these actions.
- Claimed conditions
- neurological disorder
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 7, 2017
- Citation
- 1703700
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 1703700.
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.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeal as the appellant died during the pendency of the case, and thus has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the service connection claim for a neurological disorder secondary to a service-connected left shoulder disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has ordered the AOJ to obtain missing VA treatment records from 1972-1980 and seek new medical opinions on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed neurological disorders, including trigeminal neuralgia. The AOJ must also ensure that any examination report complies with these instructions.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various neurological conditions as secondary to iron deficiency anemia, finding no current diagnosis of any of the claimed conditions.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a neurological disorder has been withdrawn by the Veteran.
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