The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's TBI residuals, specifically vision problems, dizziness, balance problems, and vertigo. A new VA examination is needed.
The deciding factor: The previous opinion did not identify all specific diagnoses since February 2010 that were characterized by the Veteran’s symptoms and failed to reflect the Board's determination of the accuracy of his lay reports regarding in-service exposure to RPG explosions.
- Claimed conditions
- vision problems, dizziness, balance problems, vertigo
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20068822
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to insufficient evidence linking his current condition to active service or any incident of service.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection, higher ratings, and earlier effective dates, as well as dismissed his claim for a TDIU.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a restoration of the separate 10 percent rating for vertigo, an earlier effective date for service connection for vertigo and migraines, and a 30 percent rating for hypothyroidism with heart murmur. The decision also denied an earlier effective date for hypertension and remanded claims for obesity, obstructive sleep apnea, and individual unemployability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for dizziness to obtain an adequate medical opinion addressing whether it is related to service or a service-connected disability.
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