The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an additional VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's respiratory disorder and its relation to asbestos exposure during service.
The deciding factor: An addendum VA medical opinion is needed to address whether 'Linear atelectasis/scarring in the lung bases' found in the July 2019 VAMC CT scan report is at least as likely as not etiologically related to the Veteran's active duty service, including exposure to asbestos.
- Claimed conditions
- respiratory disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 9, 2020
- Citation
- 20065902
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,104 · Granted: 28% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20065902.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the claims for service connection must be remanded due to inadequate examinations and opinions. The Veteran's skin disorder, respiratory disorder, Crohn's disease, eye disorder, and migraines are all being reviewed again with new medical evaluations.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, including COPD and emphysema, is being remanded due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The Board finds that the evidence submitted tends to disprove a link between his current condition and active service.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The appeal for a respiratory disorder is dismissed. Service connection for right hand palmar nodule and service connection for a right hand scar are granted, but the issue of service connection for a right hand disorder other than service-connected right hand palmar nodule is remanded.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Board has dismissed all issues of service connection due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.
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