The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development regarding potential exposure to PFAS firefighting foam and for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his shoulder conditions.
The deciding factor: The RO must reconsider whether the Veteran's TERAs include exposure to carcinogenic firefighting foam, as this was not considered in the previous decision. Additionally, a new VA examination is needed to address the relationship between the Veteran's claimed shoulder disabilities and his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis status post lumbar surgery, Arteriosclerotic heart disease, heart block, and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stents (claimed as ischemic heart disease), Hydronephrosis and kidney stones, Sleep apnea, Bladder cancer with bladder stone (claimed as residuals of bladder cancer), Benign prostatic hyperplasia with erectile dysfunction (claimed as prostate condition post-surgery), Gastroesophageal reflux disease (claimed as severe reflux), Hypertension (high blood pressure), Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with ulcerative colitis and diverticulosis (claimed as ulcerated colitis with IBS and erythematous mucosa), Basal cell under right eye, Rotator cuff, shoulder impingement and bicipital tendonitis, right (claimed as tear in both rotator cuffs), Rotator cuff, shoulder impingement and bicipital tendonitis, left (claimed as tear in both rotator cuffs), Squamous cell cancer left arm
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 19, 2024
- Citation
- A24085317
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 A24085317.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic headaches, CFS, dermatosis, bilateral RLS, a lumbar spine disability, and sleep apnea but denied a compensable evaluation for allergic rhinitis.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a low back disability, residuals of a right foot injury, sinusitis, shortness of breath, allergic rhinitis, and sleep apnea as there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, asthma/lung disease, vision disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, leukocytosis, kidney disease/kidney stones, enlarged prostate, sleep apnea, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbar spine disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of May 29, 2019 for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder but denied earlier effective dates and increased ratings for other conditions.
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