The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right ear hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder, GERD, abdominal aortic aneurysm, type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, respiratory disorders, vocal cord dysfunction, bilateral knee and shoulder disorders, lumbar spine disorder, and scars. The development includes obtaining service personnel records for the Veteran's periods of active duty and National Guard service, as well as verifying any qualifying periods of service.,The Board also notes that the Veteran has contended that his conditions are related to hazardous exposures during his period of active duty, including exposure to jet fuel and chemicals. The AOJ should attempt to verify these claims and obtain VA medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that additional development is needed to ensure all relevant service records are obtained and reviewed, as well as to address the Veteran's contentions regarding his exposure to hazardous materials during active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ear hearing loss, Acquired psychiatric disorder, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Abdominal aortic aneurysm, Type II diabetes mellitus, Hypertension, Obstructive sleep apnea, Respiratory disorder, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Vocal cord dysfunction, Bilateral knee disorder, Bilateral shoulder disorder, Lumbar spine disorder, Right ankle disorder, Rheumatoid arthritis, to include a bilateral hip disorder, Scars of the mid sternal and left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19184800
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's left knee strain, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and service connection for a right ankle disorder. Other claims were denied or remanded.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, finding that it is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected unspecified depressive disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension, to include as secondary to left orchiectomy, for further development in accordance with the PACT Act.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matters for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and conducting VA examinations.
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