The Board remands the claims for service connection for systemic lupus erythematosus and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities, due to inadequate medical opinions.
The deciding factor: The July 2024 VA medical opinions are found inadequate because they provided conclusory and duplicative rationales, did not address the Board's specific instructions, and were not compliant with the remand directives.
- Claimed conditions
- Systemic lupus erythematosus, Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 25, 2024
- Citation
- 24032235
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 granted service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, finding that it was related to in-service symptoms indicating kidney disease caused by systemic lupus erythematosus.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for systemic lupus erythematosus, discoid lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid syndrome as proximately due to service connected systemic lupus erythematosus, and fibromyalgia as proximately due to service connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Board also granted restoration of a 30 percent disability rating for temporomandibular joint disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for systemic lupus erythematosus and glomerulonephritis due to a duty to assist error.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for systemic lupus erythematosus, alopecia areata, hypertension, sleep apnea, parathyroid cancer, cardiomegaly, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral upper extremity neuropathy, and arthritis of the bilateral feet, ankles, knees, elbows, wrists, and hands.
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