The Board remands the claim for a respiratory condition, to include emphysema, COPD, asthma, and pulmonary nodules, as no adequate medical opinion has been provided regarding its etiology.
The deciding factor: The January 2024 VA examination and April 2024 TERA opinion are found inadequate due to inaccurate factual premises, and the private opinions lack sufficient rationale. Therefore, an addendum opinion is required.
- Claimed conditions
- emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, pulmonary nodules
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 20, 2025
- Citation
- A25026210
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
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