The Board denied service connection for a throat disorder other than allergic rhinitis and GERD, and remanded the claims for respiratory, left shoulder, right foot, and right hip disorders due to inadequate VA examination opinions.
The deciding factor: The June 2023 VA examiner's opinion was found internally inconsistent and inadequate for adjudication. The examiner failed to address relevant medical and lay evidence in providing etiology opinions.
- Claimed conditions
- throat disorder, respiratory disorder (bronchitis and/or tuberculosis), left shoulder disorder (impingement syndrome), right foot disorder (plantar fasciitis), right hip disorder (trochanteric bursitis, osteoarthritis)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 12, 2025
- Citation
- A25022986
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 remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including left shoulder and joint pain, right shoulder joint and bone pain, left knee bone and joint pain, right knee bone and joint pain, depression, gums and tooth pain, and throat pain, to correct duty-to-assist errors that occurred prior to the rating decision on appeal.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for cystitis, hysterectomy, uterine fibroid, and bilateral foot disorders as there was no evidence of a chronic recurrent condition during or after service.
- Partly granted
The veteran's request for a higher rating for their psychiatric disorder was denied. The claims for service connection for a throat disorder and left leg disorder were remanded for further evaluation.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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