The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claim for Multiple Sclerosis should be remanded due to unclear dates and character of his Army National Guard (ANG) service, potential direct service connection issues not addressed in the initial decision, and a need for an examination to determine the nature and etiology of his disability.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the AOJ committed pre-decisional duty to assist errors by failing to clarify when and whether the Veteran was on active service, considering direct service connection issues not addressed in the initial decision, and failing to provide an examination to determine the nature and etiology of his Multiple Sclerosis.
- Claimed conditions
- Multiple Sclerosis
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 12, 2021
- Citation
- A21018157
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 A21018157.
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 multiple sclerosis, finding that it manifested to a degree of 10 percent or more within seven years of the Veteran's separation from service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board denied an earlier effective date for service connection for multiple sclerosis and remanded the claims for increased ratings due to insufficient evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development and to obtain additional evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the appeal to obtain a medical opinion on whether the Veteran's death was due to multiple sclerosis, which may have been caused by in-service herbicide exposure.
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