The Veteran's persistent depressive disorder is granted with a 30 percent rating. The issue of service connection for rhinitis is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence did not meet the threshold for a VA examination, as there was no indication that the Veteran's current disability may be associated with his service or another service-connected condition. The issue of service connection for rhinitis is therefore remanded to obtain such an examination.
- Claimed conditions
- persistent depressive disorder, rhinitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 13, 2023
- Citation
- A23000734
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 A23000734.
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 rhinitis and gastric ulcer with hiatal hernia were evaluated, but the Board found that neither condition warranted a higher rating.,For rhinitis, the evidence did not show greater than 50 percent obstruction of both nasal passages or complete obstruction on one side. For gastric ulcer with hiatal hernia, symptoms were described as infrequent and mild.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's service connection for other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder with persistent depressive disorder, anxious distress, and pure dysthymic syndrome was granted. The appeal for PTSD is dismissed as moot because the issue has been rendered irrelevant by the grant of service connection in another appeal stream.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis and rhinitis on a direct basis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active duty service, including exposure to environmental factors during Operation Desert Storm.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's persistent depressive disorder, moderate with anxious distress and panic attacks is related to his service in the Republic of Vietnam. The decision grants service connection for this condition.
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