The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for liver disease and anxiety neurosis due to in-service herbicide exposure. The Veteran's death requires additional development of his personnel records, including verification of in-service herbicide exposure. A VA opinion is needed to address whether the acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD, anxiety, depression) was incurred during active service or related to in-service herbicide exposure. For liver disease, a VA opinion is required to determine if it was caused by an in-service injury or disease, including stress and alcohol intake.
The deciding factor: The claims are remanded due to the need for additional development regarding the Veteran's personnel records and verification of in-service herbicide exposure, as well as the need for a VA opinion on the diagnoses and service connection for both liver disease and anxiety neurosis.
- Claimed conditions
- liver disease, anxiety neurosis
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 4, 2021
- Citation
- 21012473
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 21012473.
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 cause of death and accrued benefits due to lack of timely filing.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for liver disease, including cirrhosis, MASH, and metabolic syndrome due to inadequate medical opinions. The case is being returned to the AOJ for a new VA examination by a specialist in liver diseases.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for various conditions, including type 2 diabetes mellitus and its secondary effects. The Veteran's death during the appeal process means that no decision can be made on these claims.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for liver disease, attributing the denial to a lack of current diagnosis and inconsistency in medical records regarding the Veteran's claimed condition.
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