The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected Multiple Sclerosis is being remanded.,His claim for secondary service connection of chronic pneumonia and breathing difficulties to his service-connected MS is also being remanded.,The cause of the Veteran's death, which was attributed to pneumonia due to COPD, is being remanded.
The deciding factor: Service connection for a higher rating requires evidence that the disability has worsened beyond what is contemplated by the current rating. The claim must be remanded to allow for further development and consideration of this issue.,Secondary service connection requires proof that the claimed condition is caused or aggravated by the service-connected condition. This claim also needs additional development, including a VA examination, to determine if there is a link between MS and the respiratory disability.,The cause of death must be determined based on whether the Veteran's service-connected conditions contributed substantially or materially to his death. The remand allows for an addendum opinion from the VA examiner.
- Claimed conditions
- Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Pneumonia, COPD
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 9, 2020
- Citation
- 20045899
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 20045899.
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 decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining records of the Appellant's reserve component service and conducting a VA examination to determine if her multiple sclerosis is related to service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current respiratory disability and active duty service. The VA examiner concluded that the COPD was more likely due to tobacco use rather than asbestos exposure in service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, attributing it to his exposure to Agent Orange during service. COPD is considered a disease associated with such exposure.
- Granted
The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for COPD. The Veteran's COPD is presumed due to exposure to herbicides, but the evidence does not support a finding that it began during active service or is related to in-service exposure.
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