The Veteran's claims for a compensable disability rating for tension headaches and service connection for ED were denied. The claim of entitlement to service connection for diarrhea was dismissed due to the AOJ decision deferring the issue.,The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sleep apnea, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and bilateral plantar fasciitis.
The deciding factor: For tension headaches, the evidence did not demonstrate characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in two months over the last several months.,For ED, there were no assertions or evidence of removal of glans penis or complete atrophy of both testes. The next compensable rating is for these conditions.,The AOJ decision deferring a decision on the claim of entitlement to service connection for diarrhea was not a final decision by the AOJ as it provided information regarding future action on that claim.,For sleep apnea, remand is necessary due to pre-decisional duty to assist error. The AOJ must attempt to obtain medical records related to the Veteran's sleep studies between October 2020 and December 2021.,For atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, remand is necessary as the VA opinion used the proximate cause standard instead of addressing whether the Veteran's condition was caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD. The examiner must address this issue in their opinion.,For bilateral plantar fasciitis, remand is necessary due to pre-decisional duty to assist error. The AOJ must obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis.
- Claimed conditions
- tension headaches, erectile dysfunction (ED), diarrhea, sleep apnea, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, bilateral plantar fasciitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 15, 2026
- Citation
- A26004252
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A26004252.
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 the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disease manifesting within one year after service and concluding that the current disability is not related to his in-service deviated septum.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran will be provided with a VA examination to determine if his current sleep disorder is related to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the issue of service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions and need for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims on appeal, including obtaining any outstanding treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the current severity of service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's representative also requested reevaluation of his service-connected disabilities.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.