The Board remands the claim for an initial compensable rating for syncope to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error by obtaining missing VA and private treatment records.
The deciding factor: A remand is required due to the VA's failure to make attempts to obtain relevant medical records, which could impact the determination of the severity of the service-connected syncope.
- Claimed conditions
- syncope
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 27, 2025
- Citation
- A25046917
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 a headache disorder and remanded the claims for syncope, tinea pedis, and nail dystrophy.
- Dismissed
The Veteran has withdrawn the appeal for service connection for multiple conditions, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to review the appeal.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The claim for syncope was also granted. However, the claim for hypertensive heart disease was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for a disability other than atrial fibrillation that is manifested by dizziness and/or syncope to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
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