The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's herpes infection was caused by contaminated instrumentation used during her January 2012 surgical procedure at the VA Medical Center in Houston, Texas.
The deciding factor: The examiner failed to provide a rationale for concluding that the Veteran’s HSV was more likely than not caused prior to her January 2012 surgical procedure.
- Claimed conditions
- Herpes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 26, 2020
- Citation
- 20069098
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the evidence is at least in approximate balance regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is due to PTSD.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) for aid and attendance/housebound, as she does not meet the criteria.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and denied a compensable rating for herpes. The claims for ovary removal, breast reduction residuals, and breast reduction scars were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has ordered the case to be remanded due to incomplete development of records and lack of a VA examination. The Veteran's skin disabilities, including herpes, need further evaluation by a dermatologist.
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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.