Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service connection claims for various conditions, including a pulmonary condition secondary to a cardiac condition. The claims are being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding exposure to herbicide agents during his active duty service in Thailand.

The deciding factor: The claims require clarification on whether the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his verified service at U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Force Base (RTAFB) and what specific duties he performed that could have placed him near the base perimeter. This information is necessary to determine if these conditions are presumptively linked to such exposure.

Claimed conditions: status post left hip total arthroplasty, pulmonary condition (to include as secondary to a cardiac condition), cardiac condition (to include as due to exposure to herbicide agents), right leg condition (to include as due to exposure to herbicide agents and as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II), left leg condition (to include as due to exposure to herbicide agents and as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II)
How they argued it: Not specified
Exposure basis: None
Rating: Not verified here — check the original decision
Decision date: May 22, 2018
Citation: 18104339

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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18104339.

What this means for you

A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.

What you can do next

Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).

Related decisions

Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.

Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a disability rating greater than 70 percent for his service-connected status post left hip total arthroplasty and a disability rating greater than 50 percent for his service-connected status post right hip total arthroplasty.,The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected status post left hip total arthroplasty was manifested by, at worst, markedly severe residuals of weakness, pain, or limitation of motion in the left hip and assigned a current 70 percent rating. The Veteran’s service-connected status post right hip total arthroplasty was manifested by, at worst, moderately severe residuals of weakness, pain, or limitation of motion in the right hip and assigned a current 50 percent rating.

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