The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the timing and nature of his exposure to herbicides, as well as incomplete treatment records. The AOJ is instructed to verify proximity to Vietnam and obtain pertinent VA treatment records.
The deciding factor: Insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's proximity to Vietnam and incomplete treatment records prevent a determination on service connection for many of his claims.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension, chronic kidney disease, bladder disorder, erectile dysfunction, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, gout, hepatitis C, ischemic heart disease (claimed as heart pacemaker), skin disorder, back pain, bilateral pes planus with hallux rigidus, acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, eye disorder, sinus disorder, stomach problems, headaches
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 10, 2020
- Citation
- 20002484
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.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 21, 2021, for the grant of service connection for hypertension.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
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