The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and renal disease due to exposure to environmental hazards during his Southwest Asia service, including heavy oil smoke from fires and depleted uranium. The AOJ is instructed to verify these exposures and obtain a medical opinion on whether they are etiologically related to the Veteran's conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's claims for hypertension and renal disease were remanded due to reasonable theories of exposure during his service in Southwest Asia, including heavy oil smoke from fires and depleted uranium. The AOJ is tasked with verifying these exposures and obtaining a medical opinion on their relationship to the Veteran's conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension, renal disease
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 10, 2022
- Citation
- 22027441
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 22027441.
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.
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The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
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The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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