The Veteran's loss of the sense of smell is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is caused by or aggravated by his service-connected deviated nasal septum and/or exposure to environmental toxins in Southwest Asia. The Board will then decide on whether to grant service connection based on these findings.
The deciding factor: The January 2018 VA examiner did not address the issue of aggravation, which is necessary for a full determination of the Veteran's claim.
- Claimed conditions
- loss of the sense of smell
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19184864
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.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for various conditions, including loss of the sense of smell, urinary problems, erectile dysfunction, and Parkinson's disease, among others.
- Partly granted
The veteran's service connection for hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma and related conditions was granted. Service connection for cataracts was denied, and issues regarding dry mouth and teeth removal were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's Parkinson's disease is granted a minimum 30 percent rating, while other claims for increased ratings are denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions due to insufficient medical opinions and need for updated VA treatment records.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.