The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error and the need for an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's nephrolithiasis is related to his service-connected hypertension or exposure to toxins in the Southwest Asia theater of operations.
The deciding factor: The decision was remanded because there was a duty to assist error regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected hypertension and his nephrolithiasis, as well as the need for an opinion on whether the Veteran's nephrolithiasis is related to exposure to toxins in the Southwest Asia theater of operations.
- Claimed conditions
- nephrolithiasis (kidney stones)
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 10, 2024
- Citation
- A24065052
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 766 · Granted: 40% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A24065052.
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 initial 30 percent rating for nephrolithiasis (kidney stones) is granted. The appeal of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is dismissed, as the claim was previously adjudicated and granted in a prior decision. The left knee Baker's cyst issue remains pending and requires further action.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of July 26, 2022, for a 10 percent rating for nephrolithiasis and ureterolithiasis with chronic UTIs is granted. The claim for an earlier effective date for the lumbar spine disability remains pending.
- Granted
The Veteran's nephrolithiasis (kidney stones) disability, which manifested with requiring invasive or non-invasive procedures more than two times per year from August 1, 2022, is granted an increased rating of 30 percent effective August 1, 2022.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left elbow condition, kidney stones, and obstructive sleep apnea have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,A rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's left wrist disability is also being remanded.
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