The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding obtaining SSA records and scheduling an examination for syncopal episodes. The Veteran's service treatment records show she had syncopal episodes during her military service.
The deciding factor: There was a pre-decisional duty to assist error in not obtaining SSA records and scheduling the necessary VA examination.
- Claimed conditions
- syncopal episodes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 30, 2024
- Citation
- A24021986
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 A24021986.
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 the Veteran's claim for service connection for syncopal episodes, finding that these episodes are secondary to her service-connected migraine headaches.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disease, neurological and cognitive deficiencies, collateral damage to the shoulder and hand due to syncopal episodes, right hand disability, left shoulder disability, right forearm disability, right eye disability, left knee disability, and cervical spine disability are being remanded.,Service connection is granted for hypertension and supraventricular tachycardia.
- Granted
The Veteran's hydrocephalus with headaches and syncopal episodes is rated at 50 percent, but no higher. The right femoral neck fracture with residual myofascial pain is rated as 10 percent prior to August 24, 2020, and denied for a rating in excess of 20 percent from that date.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claims for muscle deterioration, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), heart condition, syncopal episodes, fibromyalgia, memory loss, and neurological condition are dismissed as the claim is considered duplicative.,The Veteran's claims for CFS, a heart condition, syncopal episodes, fibromyalgia, memory loss, and a neurological condition to include tremors and/or Parkinson's disease are denied. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions occurred in service or were caused by exposure to Gulf War environmental hazards.
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