The Board has remanded four issues related to service connection for asbestosis, PTSD, a back disorder, and calluses/bunions of the left foot. The main reason is that VA did not obtain all the Veteran's service treatment records.
The deciding factor: VA failed to obtain all the Veteran’s service treatment records from April 1978 to February 1988, which are necessary for determining the claims.
- Claimed conditions
- asbestosis, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), a back disorder, calluses and bunions of the left foot
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 12, 2020
- Citation
- 20033232
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 20033232.
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 Veteran's service-connected disabilities require regular aid and attendance from another person, warranting special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance.
- Granted
The Veteran's asbestosis disability is rated at 100% from December 2, 2024 to January 16, 2026. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is dismissed as moot.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for asbestosis with pleural plaques and vascular dementia as secondary to asbestosis with pleural plaques due to a lack of an adequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's conditions and his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's asbestosis was granted an increased rating of 10 percent, but no higher. Service connection for sleep apnea was denied.
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