The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination, including obtaining in-patient records from a hospitalization during service, arranging for examinations by appropriate clinicians to determine the likely etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine disability, peripheral neuropathy, and hypertension, and addressing the theory of secondary service connection.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the duty to assist was not satisfied due to missing in-patient records from a hospitalization during service. The Board also noted that an examination is necessary for the cervical spine disability as it may be related to service-connected foot disabilities, and for the peripheral neuropathy and hypertension claims given the Veteran's current diagnoses and exposure to herbicide agents.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical spine disability, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, hypertension
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 10, 2020
- Citation
- 20059617
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 20059617.
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 for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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