The Board has determined that the current evidence does not provide sufficient competent medical evidence to decide whether the Veteran's pulmonary fibrosis and hypertension are related to his active-duty service, specifically his exposure to radiation while performing radiographic images. The Board is therefore remanding the case for further development.
The deciding factor: The Board found that a definitive opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's pulmonary conditions could not be provided without resorting to speculation due to the lack of in-service records and the speculative nature of the previous medical opinions.
- Claimed conditions
- pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Ionizing radiation
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 7, 2022
- Citation
- A22024588
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 A22024588.
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 pulmonary fibrosis is related to in-service exposure to herbicide agents, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for pulmonary fibrosis as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to duty-to-assist errors, including obtaining signed consent forms and an adequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's lung complications.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a respiratory disorder, including interstitial lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, and pulmonary asbestosis, due to in-service asbestos exposure.
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