The Veteran's loss of the sense of smell is being remanded for further evaluation due to incomplete information and need for additional medical opinions regarding its etiology.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not address whether the Veteran’s current loss of the sense of smell was aggravated by exposure to environmental toxins in Southwest Asia or his service-connected deviated nasal septum.
- Claimed conditions
- loss of the sense of smell
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19184864
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,614 · Granted: 35% (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 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.
- 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.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection for loss of the sense of smell, taste, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and muscle atrophy are denied as there is no competent and probative evidence establishing a relationship to service or a service-connected disability.,Service connection for coronary artery disease and pain disorder affecting the entire body with psychological factors is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's alleged exposure to Agent Orange.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.