The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and further adjudication of his claims, including the propriety of reducing his disability rating from 100 percent to 40 percent.
The deciding factor: The reduction in disability rating impacts the Veteran's entitlement to TDIU prior to December 17, 2017, which is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claim.
- Claimed conditions
- myelodysplastic syndrome with anemia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 2, 2019
- Citation
- 19151539
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,011 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19151539.
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 Veteran's claim for service connection for myelodysplastic syndrome with anemia and leukemia was denied. However, the cause of death due to acute myelogenous leukemia was granted based on exposure to contaminated water at Beale Air Force Base.
- Remanded (sent back)
The case is being remanded to determine if the Veteran was exposed to ionizing radiation during service, which could potentially affect his claim for accrued benefits and the cause of death.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for myelodysplastic syndrome with anemia, finding no evidence linking it to his military service or exposure to herbicides. The cause of death was attributed to respiratory failure due to blood cancer.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has ordered a supplemental opinion from Dr. C.L.S. to clarify whether the Veteran's COPD was caused or aggravated by service-connected disability, and if so, whether it contributed to his death.
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