The case is being remanded for additional development to obtain SSA records and an addendum VA medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's liver condition and autoimmune hepatitis.
The deciding factor: VA has not made attempts to secure the appellant's spouse's Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits records, which are considered constructively of record. An addendum VA medical opinion is needed to address herbicide agents beyond Agent Orange and environmental conditions in Vietnam for the Veteran's liver condition or autoimmune hepatitis.
- Claimed conditions
- liver condition, autoimmune hepatitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 14, 2017
- Citation
- 1752021
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 1752021.
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 Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for further review of the evidence. The Board is unable to determine if there was a factual increase in disability prior to the effective dates requested, or if service connection should be granted based on the current evidence.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal, and he was denied for stomach condition, liver condition, and depression.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions are dismissed due to untimely filing of the Notice of Disagreement (NOD). The appeal is also dismissed as there was no good cause shown for the late filing.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claims for service connection for a liver condition, diabetes mellitus, and rhinitis have been dismissed due to improper procedural steps.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for allergic rhinitis has also been dismissed.
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