The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for motor neuron disease (claimed as ALS) due to ambiguity in diagnoses and need for further examination. The examiner is asked to determine if the Veteran's condition is related to exposure at MCAS El Toro.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was ambiguity in the diagnosis of the Veteran's current disability, requiring a medical opinion on whether it should be considered as ALS or motor neuron disease.
- Claimed conditions
- motor neuron disease, ALS
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 18, 2019
- Citation
- 19155777
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 19155777.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's cause of death was determined to be motor neuron disease with respiratory failure. The Board found that the Veteran had an ALS diagnosis and granted service connection for his cause of death, as it resulted from a motor neuron disorder.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the Servicemember's cause of death, including ALS, myasthenia gravis, and metastatic prostate cancer, as they were not incurred during or related to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's cause of death was determined to be motor neuron disease with respiratory failure. The Board found that the Veteran had an ALS diagnosis and granted service connection for his cause of death, as it resulted from a motor neuron disorder.
- Granted
The Veteran's cause of death was determined to be motor neuron disease with respiratory failure. The Board found that the Veteran had an ALS diagnosis and granted service connection for his cause of death, as it resulted from a motor neuron disorder.
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