The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory condition, including bronchitis, due to insufficient evidence and the need for an adequate examination.
The deciding factor: Remand is necessary due to the VA's failure to assist in obtaining private treatment records and an inadequate VA examination that did not consider the Veteran's reported symptoms and conceded toxic exposures.
- Claimed conditions
- bronchitis
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25029896
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bronchitis, COPD, asthma, and plantar fasciitis as not being related to the Veteran's military service. The Board also denied an increased rating for painful malunion of the left clavicle, compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for bronchitis, COPD, asthma, compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for OSA, and an increased rating higher than 20 percent for painful malunion of the left clavicle.
- Dismissed
The veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, asthma, and bronchitis was dismissed as the Board Appeal request was not timely filed.
- Denied
The Board denied an increased rating for bronchitis and an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection, as the evidence did not support a higher rating or an earlier effective date.
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