The Veteran's appeal for reopening the claim of service connection for left long thoracic nerve palsy and Sjogren’s syndrome is granted. The Board finds new and material evidence has been received to reopen these claims, but remands them due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the conditions.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not provide a clear opinion on whether the Veteran's left long thoracic nerve palsy was aggravated by his service-connected right thoracic outlet syndrome with right long thoracic nerve palsy. The Board also notes that there are missing VA treatment records from October 2010 to the present, which may be relevant to both claims.
- Claimed conditions
- left long thoracic nerve palsy, Sjogren’s syndrome
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 7, 2019
- Citation
- 19184297
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,188 · Granted: 23% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19184297.
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: Denied
Service connection for migraine headaches, bilateral hearing loss, and Sjogren’s syndrome is denied.,An earlier effective date of May 31, 2005 for the grant of service connection for back disability is granted. A rating in excess of 20 percent for back disability remains denied.,Ratings in excess of 10 percent for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities are denied from August 15, 2016 to February 6, 2020. Ratings of 40 percent, but no higher, are granted beginning February 7, 2020.,Service connection for tinnitus is not granted.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information regarding the Veteran's Sjogren’s syndrome and its relationship to his service-connected fibromyalgia. The VA must obtain additional medical opinions to clarify these issues.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for Sjogren’s syndrome has been granted. The claims for service connection for bilateral flat feet, asthma, bilateral hearing loss, and low back disability have been denied. The claim for service connection for allergic rhinitis and tinnitus remains pending.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting opinions regarding whether the Veteran has a current diagnosis of Sjogren’s syndrome and if it is related to service.
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