The Board has determined that the VA examination and opinion provided were inadequate for addressing whether the appellant's vasovagal syncope is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected unspecified somatic symptom and related disorder, and thus requires a new medical opinion.
The deciding factor: The initial opinions did not adequately address whether the appellant’s vasovagal syncope was aggravated by his service-connected disability.
- Claimed conditions
- syncope syndrome, vasovagal syncope
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 16, 2019
- Citation
- A19001332
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 A19001332.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board has remanded the claim for service connection of vasovagal syncope due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran's vasovagal syncope is presumed to have existed prior to service, and the Board must now determine if there is clear and unmistakable evidence that it was not aggravated by military service.
- Granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of June 26, 1984, for the award of service connection for vasovagal syncope based on new and relevant service treatment records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a headache disorder, and vasovagal syncope to correct duty to assist errors.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for vasovagal syncope and an initial 30% rating for obstructive sleep apnea from November 11, 2022 to May 8, 2023, but denied earlier effective dates and higher ratings for the same condition. The Board also granted a 50% rating for OSA from May 8, 2023, and an initial 30% rating for gastroesophageal reflux disease.
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