The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for systemic lupus erythematosus for a new medical opinion.
The deciding factor: The April 2021 opinion did not substantially comply with the April 2020 remand directives and failed to adequately address the Veteran's in-service treatment records and reported exposure to fumes.
- Claimed conditions
- systemic lupus erythematosus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 3, 2022
- Citation
- 22000031
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 service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and systemic lupus erythematosus as there was no evidence of onset during active service or etiological relationship to an in-service injury, event, or disease.
- Dismissed
The appeal of entitlement to an increased disability rating for lupus was dismissed due to the Veteran attempting to appeal a deferral, which cannot be appealed.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for a left hamstring disability, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and various other disabilities. The claims for service connection for left ankle, right ankle, acquired psychiatric, systemic lupus erythematosus, lumbar spine, right shoulder, right hip, left knee, right knee, and bilateral shin splints were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for systemic lupus erythematosus to correct an error in satisfying its duty to assist under 38 U.S.C. § 5103A.
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