The Board has remanded the case due to a failure of the VA medical opinion to address exposure to toxins and lay testimony regarding the onset and continuity of symptoms. The case will be returned for further development.
The deciding factor: The decision was remanded because the VA medical opinion did not comply with the April 2018 remand order, which required discussion on whether pulmonary fibrosis is related to service exposure to toxins.
- Claimed conditions
- pulmonary fibrosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 22, 2020
- Citation
- 20068497
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 Board granted service connection for pulmonary fibrosis, finding it to be related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Vietnam.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection of a lung disability, claimed as pulmonary fibrosis, for further development and evidence review.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a conclusion that his service-connected conditions prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for 12 respiratory conditions due to a need for additional medical evidence and examinations.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.