The Board remands the claim for service connection for lupus to correct a duty to assist error related to an inadequate VA addendum opinion.
The deciding factor: The May 2024 VA addendum opinion is inadequate as it did not address whether toxic exposure risk activities (TERAs) in the Veteran's second period of active duty had aggravated her preexisting lupus.
- Claimed conditions
- lupus
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 24, 2025
- Citation
- A25054520
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 benefits for spina bifida and other covered birth defects as the Appellant does not have a diagnosis of spina bifida, and her mother is not a Vietnam Veteran.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of the claims for service connection for lupus, an acquired psychiatric disorder, a skin disorder, and a respiratory condition due to new and material evidence being submitted since the last final denial.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for obesity, a compensable initial rating for bilateral hearing loss disability, an increased rating for tinnitus, and an increased rating for PTSD. The issues of service connection for various disabilities were remanded.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.
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