The Veteran's claims for PTSD and breathing problems due to asbestos exposure are being remanded as new opinions are needed.,The Veteran's claim for allergic rhinitis is being remanded because his condition may have worsened since the last examination.,The Veteran's claim for right shoulder disability is being remanded due to insufficient evidence of increased severity over time.,Whether the character of the Veteran's discharge during December 1998 to October 2001 constitutes a bar to VA compensation benefits is being remanded as new opinions are needed regarding mental health issues and insanity.,The Veteran's claim for an undiagnosed illness or MUCMI, including weight changes, idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, spondylitis, autoimmune disease, and chronic fatigue, is being remanded due to the need for clarification of his medical records.,The Veteran's claim for periodic numbness of the lip and jaw (secondary to genioglossal advancement surgery) is being remanded as new opinions are needed regarding the nature and etiology of his condition.,The Veteran's claim for residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is being remanded due to inextricability with the character of discharge issue.,The Veteran's claim for a deviated septum is being remanded due to inextricability with the character of discharge issue.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with other claims.
The deciding factor: New opinions are needed regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's PTSD, breathing problems due to asbestos exposure, allergic rhinitis, right shoulder disability, character of discharge, undiagnosed illness or MUCMI, periodic numbness of the lip and jaw (secondary to genioglossal advancement surgery), residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), and deviated septum.,The Veteran's condition may have worsened since the last examination, necessitating a new VA examination for allergic rhinitis.,Insufficient evidence of increased severity over time in right shoulder disability requires a new VA examination.,New opinions are needed regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's character of discharge issue, including mental health issues and insanity.,Clarification is needed regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's undiagnosed illness or MUCMI due to inconsistencies in medical records.,New opinions are needed regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's periodic numbness of the lip and jaw (secondary to genioglossal advancement surgery).,The character of discharge issue is inextricably intertwined with the Veteran's claim for residuals of traumatic brain injury, necessitating a new examination.,The character of discharge issue is inextricably intertwined with the Veteran's claim for deviated septum, necessitating a new examination.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is inextricably intertwined with other claims and requires readjudication.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Breathing problems due to asbestos exposure (emphysema), Allergic rhinitis, Right shoulder impingement syndrome and degenerative joint disease, Undiagnosed illness or MUCMI, Periodic numbness of the lip and jaw, Residuals of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Deviated Septum
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 30, 2021
- Citation
- 21071381
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 21071381.
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 Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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