The Veteran's claim for rheumatoid arthritis is denied as there is no evidence of current disability.,The Veteran's claims for depressive disorder and anxiety disorder are remanded to obtain a VA examination to clarify whether they are related to service-connected PTSD or other medical conditions.,The Veteran's claim for sleep apnea is remanded to determine the cause of her weight gain, which may be due to medications prescribed for PTSD.,The Veteran's claim for liver disease is remanded to determine if it was caused by weight gain due to medications prescribed for PTSD and lack of motivation to exercise due to PTSD. Service connection cannot be established as no direct link to service has been found.,The Veteran's claim for cerebral aneurysm rupture is remanded to determine if it was related to hypertension, which is already service-connected.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence of current rheumatoid arthritis disability during the period on appeal. The Veteran’s diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis in November 2010 was negative.,The Veteran has a current major depressive disorder but it cannot be determined if this is due to service-connected PTSD or other medical conditions without further examination and opinion.,The cause of the Veteran's weight gain, which may contribute to her sleep apnea, needs clarification. The relationship between medications prescribed for PTSD and weight gain requires further investigation.,The Veteran has a current fatty liver disease but it cannot be determined if this is due to service-connected PTSD or other medical conditions without further examination and opinion. Service connection cannot be established as no direct link to service has been found.,The cause of the Veteran's cerebral aneurysm rupture needs clarification, including whether it was related to hypertension which is already service-connected.
- Claimed conditions
- rheumatoid arthritis, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, sleep apnea, liver disease, cerebral aneurysm rupture
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2023
- Citation
- 23006024
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 23006024.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis disability rating is being remanded for additional development due to significant weight loss and anemia.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disease manifesting within one year after service and concluding that the current disability is not related to his in-service deviated septum.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran will be provided with a VA examination to determine if his current sleep disorder is related to his military service.
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