The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's service connection claims, including for her respiratory disability (claimed as asthma), neck disability, low back disability, and muscle/joint disorder (claimed as fibromyalgia). The Board also notes that the Veteran's service-connected sinusitis, headaches, and PTSD need to be re-evaluated due to potential worsening since their last examinations.
The deciding factor: The Board found insufficient evidence in the record regarding the etiology of the Veteran's respiratory disability, neck disability, low back disability, and muscle/joint disorder. The Board also noted that the Veteran's service-connected sinusitis and rhinitis may have caused or aggravated her current disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- asthma, lung nodules, neck disability, low back disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2019
- Citation
- 19178699
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 was granted a 70 percent disability rating for unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder with major depressive disorder, recurrent, and alcohol use disorder in early remission, as well as TDIU due to asthma and SMC at the housebound rate.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- 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).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including sinusitis, elbows condition, cervical condition, erectile dysfunction, kidney condition, sleep apnea, wrists condition, asthma, shoulders condition, ankles condition, eye condition (bilateral dry macular degeneration), peripheral vascular disease (heart condition), and rhinitis.
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