The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for dyspnea (claimed as sarcoidosis) to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically regarding an inadequate VA medical opinion.
The deciding factor: The August 2023 VA medical opinion was based on an inaccurate factual premise that the Veteran has been diagnosed with sarcoidosis, which is not supported by evidence in the claims file.
- Claimed conditions
- dyspnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 5, 2025
- Citation
- A25040744
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 Board granted service connection for right and left hallux valgus, right and left femoral acetabular impingement syndrome, right knee degenerative arthritis, left knee strain, cervical strain, right shoulder strain, and dyspnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine and sleep apnea.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case to obtain complete service treatment records, including Reserve STRs, as they may contain evidence pertinent to the Veteran's claims.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for hand tremors, dyspnea, restless leg syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, and headaches as further development is needed to address the Veteran's assertions of Gulf War Syndrome-related symptoms.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for scars of the bilateral hands and arms, denied higher ratings for knee strain, dyspnea, erectile dysfunction, and tinnitus, and remanded several other issues including service connection for headaches disability.
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