The Board has ordered the AOJ to obtain and associate with the claims file copies of the Veteran’s complete VA treatment records since September 2013. The AOJ is also instructed to request authorization for the Veteran's Mayo Clinic treatment records from Jacksonville, Florida. Additionally, an addendum opinion on the cause of the Veteran's left leg fracture should be obtained, addressing subsequent medical evidence reflecting a pattern of falls after episodes of dizziness. An addendum opinion on whether hypertension is related to herbicide exposure and secondary to diabetes should also be provided. Finally, an addendum opinion on the nature and etiology of the Veteran’s cirrhosis of the liver should be obtained, including its relation to presumed Vietnam exposure, service-connected diabetes, and pulmonary sarcoidosis.
The deciding factor: The Board has ordered additional development in order to ensure all relevant medical records are considered and that the opinions provided address all pertinent issues.
- Claimed conditions
- left leg fracture, hypertension, cirrhosis of the liver
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 27, 2018
- Citation
- 18114432
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 18114432.
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 remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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