The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypothyroidism is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if his thyroid condition had its onset in, or is otherwise caused by, his military service, including environmental exposures during service in Uzbekistan.
The deciding factor: The decision requires additional evidence and clarification of the Veteran's service records to properly assess the etiology of his thyroid condition.
- Claimed conditions
- hypothyroidism
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 14, 2020
- Citation
- 20002825
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 961 · Granted: 20% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20002825.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's initial compensable evaluation for hypothyroidism is denied, and the Board finds that service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease and bilateral foot condition should be remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hypothyroidism and therefore denied their claim for service connection.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus was dismissed. The Board granted service connection for hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's thyroiditis with complications, including depression, anxiety, insomnia, vitamin deficiencies, memory/cognitive impairment, unexplained arthralgias, fatigue, hair loss, and bradycardia.
- Whole decision: Granted
The appellant is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits, effective September 1, 2020.
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