The Veteran's claims for PTSD, service connection for various conditions, and a compensable rating for his gunshot wound scars are remanded. The Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange or toxins from jet fuel is also under consideration.
The deciding factor: The Board has determined that the Veteran did not file a claim prior to November 5, 2015 for residuals of gunshot wounds and other conditions, which resulted in the denial of an earlier effective date. The claims for PTSD are granted as there is evidence supporting a diagnosis related to his service stressor. Other claims are remanded due to lack of medical records or exposure verification.
- Claimed conditions
- residual scars, gunshot wound to abdomen, genital herpes, respiratory disorder, residual of gunshot wound, stomach disorder, colon cancer, chronic lymphoid leukemia, cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 30, 2019
- Citation
- 19167620
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,071 · Granted: 26% (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 19167620.
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 Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his active military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various hip and lower extremity disorders, including as secondary to a lumbar spine disorder. The case is being returned to the AOJ for further action.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records and authorization for private treatment providers. The issues include heart disorder, OSA, sinusitis, lumbar spine disorder, and right knee disorder all related to Agent Orange exposure.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's request to readjudicate his claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and obstructive sleep apnea, but denied his claim for right knee disorder. The Board also remanded the cases of left leg disorder and lumbar spine disorder.
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