The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and the need for a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's HPV or herpes infection was caused by contaminated instruments used during her October 2004 colonoscopy or January 2012 hemorrhoidectomy and sigmoidoscopy procedures at the Houston VAMC.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the complete records from the October 2004 colonoscopy may not have been obtained, necessitating a remand to obtain those documents. Additionally, a medical opinion is needed to address whether the Veteran's HPV or herpes infection was caused by contaminated instruments used during her surgical procedures.
- Claimed conditions
- Herpes, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 16, 2023
- Citation
- 23009927
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 23009927.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for herpes, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is etiologically related to his in-service diagnosis of herpes genitalis.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for herpes was denied, and his GERD with IBS received a 30 percent disability rating.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for herpes, finding no current diagnosis of a sexually transmitted infection during or approximate to the appeal period.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the evidence is at least in approximate balance regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is due to PTSD.
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