The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's use of heroin for foot pain is consistent with his service-connected conditions. The examiner must provide a clear opinion on this matter.
The deciding factor: The need for an addendum opinion regarding consistency between the severity of the foot injuries and the Veteran's statements about using heroin for pain management.
- Claimed conditions
- hepatitis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 28, 2022
- Citation
- 22065996
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 22065996.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and secondary service connection for cirrhosis of the liver, both determined to be related to in-service hepatitis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the failure to schedule VA examinations related to his claimed disabilities. The Board finds that there was a pre-decisional error in not ensuring proper communication with the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his hepatitis, finding that the evidence does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7354.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error in failing to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's liver disease, including hepatitis B and/or C.
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