The Board finds that service connection is warranted for gout but dismisses the issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to re-open the previously denied claim for service connection for swollen joints, headaches, fatigue, night sweats, and Gulf War syndrome. The Veteran's claims for service connection for Gulf War Syndrome (including hair loss) and chronic daily headaches are remanded.
The deciding factor: The October 2014 VA examination did not provide a definitive etiology for the Veteran's headaches and fatigue, nor did it discuss certain symptoms such as sweating and hair loss.
- Claimed conditions
- Swollen joints, Headaches, Fatigue, Night sweats, Gulf War Syndrome
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19102235
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disability, headaches, a back disability, heart disability, and residuals of a stroke, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active service or caused by his service-connected left ear disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for insomnia, fatigue, gallstones, varicose veins, anemia, colitis, and PTSD due to a lack of evidence supporting the claims.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeal in September 2025, stating that she is now 100% permanently and totally disabled effective April 29, 2025.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD with TBI and a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for headaches as secondary to PTSD with TBI due to a duty to assist error.
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