The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for CLL and an increased rating for CKD, as well as his TDIU claim. The remand requires obtaining additional evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents at Fort McClellan and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his CLL.
The deciding factor: The Board found insufficient evidence to support the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating, as well as TDIU, due to incomplete development regarding potential exposure to herbicide agents and lack of recent medical evaluations.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), chronic kidney disease (CKD)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 29, 2020
- Citation
- 20006697
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 earlier effective date of April 5, 2011, for the grant of service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and an initial rating of 100 percent from that date to April 26, 2013.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) based on the Veteran's participation in toxic exposure risk activities during service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for chronic kidney disease, atrial fibrillation, hiatal hernia, COPD, and prostate cancer as a result of toxic exposure during the Veteran's military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia to correct duty to assist errors that occurred prior to the August 2024 rating decision.
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