The Board has identified a duty to assist error by the RO in failing to request records from both the Air Force Service Branch and his Air Force Reserve unit for the back disability claim. The Veteran should receive a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's back disability is related to service.,For the eosinophilic esophagitis, hypertension, and rhinitis claims, the Board has identified a duty to assist error by the RO in failing to provide the Veteran with a VA examination. The Veteran should receive a VA examination to determine if these disabilities are related to service or resulted from an undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the RO did not meet its duty to assist in obtaining all relevant records, including those from the Air Force Reserve unit and VA examinations for the back disability, eosinophilic esophagitis, hypertension, and rhinitis.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Eye Disability Causing Vision Problems, Back Disability, Eosinophilic Esophagitis, Hypertension, Cardiac Disability (including Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Abnormal Heart), Rhinitis
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 16, 2023
- Citation
- A23032522
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 A23032522.
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 Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides or service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and active duty service or herbicide exposure.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.