The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for residuals of smallpox vaccination, sinusitis with chronic headaches and sinus infection, and reflux disease due to incomplete development as required by the September 2018 Board remand. The VA examiner must address the Veteran's lay statements regarding his symptomatology and relevant STRs.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner was directed to specifically address the Veteran’s lay statements regarding his symptomatology and relevant service treatment records (STRs).
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of smallpox vaccination, sinusitis with chronic headaches and sinus infection, reflux disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20007061
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 remands the claim for service connection for residuals of smallpox vaccination to obtain additional evidence and an adequate medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a smallpox vaccination for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion or scheduling the Veteran for an examination.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hyperlipidemia, bilateral hip conditions, lumbar spine disability, reflux disease, and vascular lymphatics because the evidence did not show a current disability related to these conditions.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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