The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for HIV and related complications, as well as his claim for dental treatment purposes due to HIV. The remand is necessary to determine the date of initial onset of HIV and the nature of the Veteran’s Naval Reserve service at the time of the disease's initial manifestation.
The deciding factor: The Board found that determining the probable etiology of the Veteran’s HIV was crucial, but also noted that service connection for HIV and all complications may be established if initially manifested during active duty or ACDUTRA. Additional development is needed to determine these matters.
- Claimed conditions
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Encephalitis, Neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 2, 2021
- Citation
- 21005826
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 21005826.
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 has denied service connection for treatment purposes only for PTSD and remanded the claim of service connection for treatment purposes only for HIV.
- Granted
The Veteran is found to be eligible for enrollment in the PCAFC program due to his severe and complex medical conditions, which require personal care services.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran contracted HIV during his active duty service and grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected encephalitis has been rated at 10 percent since November 16, 1953, and from March 17, 1956, to September 29, 2009. The appeal is denied as the criteria for a higher rating are not met.
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