The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for respiratory disability and chronic fatigue syndrome due to inadequate examinations that did not address whether his symptoms are related to service, including exposure to burn pits. The Veteran is also being asked to provide additional evidence of a qualifying chronic disability under the Persian Gulf Veterans' Act.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations were insufficient in addressing the etiology and relationship between the Veteran's current conditions and his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- respiratory disability, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fatigue
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19139003
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 19139003.
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 multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and denied higher ratings for sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and lumbosacral strain. However, the Board granted initial 20 percent ratings for left lower extremity radiculopathy, femoral nerve, and sciatic nerve.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, with the exception of remanding certain issues.
- Partly granted
The appeal for service connection for allergic rhinitis and lumbosacral or cervical strain was dismissed due to untimeliness, while the other issues were remanded for further evidence.
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