The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the Veteran's respiratory disability, specifically whether it is related to service or an undiagnosed illness. Additional development and a new VA examination are required.
The deciding factor: The July 2016 VA examination did not provide an adequate opinion on the relationship between the Veteran's respiratory disability and his in-service exposure to burn pits and/or any other known clinical diagnosis.
- Claimed conditions
- respiratory disability, lung scarring
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19187486
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 multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for complete loss of sense of smell, an acquired psychiatric disability, a low back disability, a respiratory disability, and tinnitus to schedule VA examinations.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for allergic rhinitis and remanded the other claims for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, a heart disability, and a respiratory disability due to outstanding service treatment records and insufficient medical evidence.
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