The Veteran's appeal involves claims for service connection for a chronic respiratory disorder due to herbicide exposure and an increased disability rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Board has determined that additional development is necessary in both cases.
The deciding factor: Additional evidence and medical opinions are needed to address the complex nature of the Veteran’s respiratory condition and his hearing loss, including the impact of smoking history and Agent Orange exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic respiratory disorder
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 13, 2019
- Citation
- 19193797
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,858 · Granted: 24% (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 19193797.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors, specifically regarding examinations and opinions related to his claimed conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of his chronic respiratory disorder and obstructive sleep apnea. The AOJ must provide VA examinations to determine these issues.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic respiratory disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed as he withdrew his claims. The Board found no current disabilities relevant to the testicle and gastric disorders, thus denying these claims.
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