The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for COPD and thoracic spine pain. The Veteran's claim of service connection for COPD is reopened, but his claim for thoracic spine pain remains denied.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner must provide an opinion on whether the Veteran’s diagnosed COPD is at least as likely as not related to his military service, including exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. The examination report should include all findings and a complete rationale for the opinion(s).
- Claimed conditions
- COPD, thoracic spine pain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 14, 2019
- Citation
- 19185360
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 service connection for COPD, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the Veteran's respiratory condition and his military service, including exposure to Agent Orange.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for thoracic spine pain and tinnitus, as well as higher ratings for various service-connected conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions and a TDIU, as the evidence did not support a finding that any of these disabilities were related to the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's COPD precluded him from obtaining and maintaining substantial gainful employment, warranting a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).
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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.