The Board remands the claims for service connection for a respiratory condition, hypertension, and temporomandibular disorder to correct a duty to assist error that occurred prior to the issuance of the November 2024 rating decision.

The deciding factor: VA must provide an examination or obtain a medical opinion in a claim of service connection when the record contains competent lay or medical evidence suggesting a possible association between the claimed condition and service, as is the case here with toxic gas exposure and burn pit exposure.

Claimed conditions

Respiratory condition, to include asthma and bronchitis, Hypertension, Temporomandibular disorder

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

Burn pits / airborne hazards

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

December 3, 2025

Citation

A25104095

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine