The Board has decided to remand the case due to unclear etiology of the Veteran's tremors and insufficient competent medical evidence on file. The Veteran is presumed to have contaminant exposure from water at Camp Lejeune, but service connection may be established on a direct basis.
The deciding factor: There is conflicting evidence regarding the initial onset of the Veteran's tremors and an unclear etiology for his current neurological disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- neurobehavioral disorder, essential tremors
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20005475
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,902 · Granted: 11% (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 20005475.
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 remanded the claims for service connection due to potential exposure to hazardous materials and Agent Orange during military service. The Veteran's Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER) needs to be obtained, and further development is needed concerning his alleged exposure to hazardous air contaminants at Hill Air Force Base, Agent Orange on C-123 Aircraft, dioxins at Kadena Air Base, and chemicals in the drinking water at Ellsworth Air Force Base.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for all claims of service connection, including those for bilateral flat feet, thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, right CTS, left CTS, essential tremors, right ankle arthritis, right shoulder arthritis, and left knee arthritis. The appeal of sleep apnea was granted in a July 2024 rating decision.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's essential tremors are related to service, specifically his time at Camp Lejeune. The decision grants service connection for this condition.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus, a neurobehavioral disorder, bilateral pes planus, bilateral hallux rigidus, and the right and left knee disabilities. The evidence does not show any in-service injuries or diseases related to these conditions.
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