The Board has found that the RO did not complete all directed development and returned the matter to the RO for further action. The Veteran's service records, including his MOS and locations of service, need to be verified, as well as VA examinations and opinions regarding his claimed disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the RO failed to complete the necessary development in the January 2023 remand, specifically obtaining the Veteran's service personnel records and scheduling VA examinations and opinions for all of his claims. The PACT Act requires medical opinions on the impact of toxic exposure risk activities (TERAs) on the Veteran's disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- right elbow arthritis, right wrist arthritis, left wrist arthritis, left hand and fingers arthritis, right hand arthritis, respiratory condition (difficulty breathing, chest pain, coughing, wheezing), upper respiratory infection (nasal infections and dry nasal passages), hypertension, renal condition (urology), connective tissue disease, sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, skin disease
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 7, 2023
- Citation
- 23049352
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 23049352.
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 Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- 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.
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