The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the Veteran's respiratory disability and its relation to service, including exposure to Agent Orange. The claim will be returned for further examination and opinion.
The deciding factor: The previous VA examiner did not address whether the Veteran's COPD was caused by exposure to Agent Orange or other chemicals while stationed on ships, nor if it was caused or aggravated by any service-connected disability.
- Claimed conditions
- pulmonary emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)/asthma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 3, 2022
- Citation
- 22019874
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 22019874.
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 pulmonary emphysema is granted. The Board also remanded the claims for left and right shoulder disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for chronic sinusitis and remanded the claims for COPD, pulmonary emphysema, GERD, hypertension, and hypertensive CKD due to inadequate VA examinations.
- Partly granted
The Board granted the Veteran's applications to reopen claims for service connection for mononucleosis, pulmonary emphysema, and severe tooth loss. The claim for TDIU was denied as moot due to a combined 100% rating.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for pulmonary emphysema, gastroparesis, and granulomatous hepatitis due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service or toxic exposure. The claim for left ventricular systolic dysfunction was remanded.
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