The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including sensitivity to cigarette smoke and related symptoms, are remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has reported multiple symptoms that he believes are related to exposure to cigarette smoke during his military service in the Persian Gulf War. The claims are being remanded to allow for a VA examination to assess whether these symptoms are due to service, including any immunizations and pills administered during Operation Desert Storm.
- Claimed conditions
- sensitivity to hazardous toxins (including cigarette smoke), watery eyes, bilateral ear aches, fatigue, inflammation of the nose, inflammation of the throat with sputum, allergies, lung disability, swelling of the face, painful tongue with altered taste, headaches, psychiatric disability (including disrupted sleep, lack of concentration, rage, and nightmares), pain in the jaw bone
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 22, 2019
- Citation
- 19156273
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19156273.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development of records and will provide a supplemental statement of the case if necessary.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches was reopened due to new and material evidence, and the Board found that his current headaches are related to service. Service connection is granted.
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