The Board has found a duty to assist error in the August 2023 rating decision and has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to work.
The deciding factor: There are inconsistencies in the evidence regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected conditions cause or contribute to his reported symptoms of fatigue, memory loss, brain fog, and lethargy. The Board has requested further examination and opinion to clarify these issues.
- Claimed conditions
- hypothyroidism, cardiovascular disorders (coronary artery disease, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, bradycardia, hypertensive heart disease, dilated cardiomyopathy, and premature ventricular contractions), residuals of bladder cancer, residuals of ureter cancer, colon cancer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 5, 2023
- Citation
- A23034655
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 A23034655.
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 initial compensable evaluation for hypothyroidism is denied, and the Board finds that service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease and bilateral foot condition should be remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hypothyroidism and therefore denied their claim for service connection.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus was dismissed. The Board granted service connection for hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's thyroiditis with complications, including depression, anxiety, insomnia, vitamin deficiencies, memory/cognitive impairment, unexplained arthralgias, fatigue, hair loss, and bradycardia.
- Granted
The appellant is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits, effective September 1, 2020.
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