The Board has determined that additional development is necessary for the claims of service connection for asthma, COPD, arthritis of the hands and feet, and cervical spine disorder. The VA examiners were requested to provide opinions on whether these conditions are related to military service, including herbicide exposure, or if they are proximately due to or aggravated by other service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Board found that additional medical opinions are needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection as there is insufficient evidence in the record regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions and their relationship to military service and/or other service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Arthritis of the Right Hand, Arthritis of the Left Hand, Arthritis of the Left Foot, Arthritis of the Right Foot, Cervical Spine Disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 25, 2022
- Citation
- 22065958
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 22065958.
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 Veteran's asthma is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, and the Board finds that this rating adequately compensates his service-connected condition.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's asthma is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's sleep apnea claim has been remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, asthma, and foot conditions, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history throughout the appeal period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for COPD due to duty-to-assist errors and a need for a supplemental medical opinion.
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