The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for allergic rhinitis, OSA, right hand disorder, left hand disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, right foot disorder, and left foot disorder due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset or relationship to service. The claims are being returned to the AOJ for further development.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there is not clear and unmistakable evidence showing that the Veteran's preexisting allergic rhinitis was aggravated by his periods of active duty, including as a result of conceded in-service TERAs.
- Claimed conditions
- allergic rhinitis, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), right hand degenerative arthritis with a ganglion cyst (right hand disorder), left hand degenerative arthritis (left hand disorder), right knee degenerative arthritis (right knee disorder), left knee degenerative arthritis (left knee disorder), right foot plantar fasciitis (right foot disorder), left foot plantar fasciitis (left foot disorder)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 29, 2026
- Citation
- A26008561
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 A26008561.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection for asthma and a 10 percent rating based on multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities were dismissed. The claim of entitlement to a compensable rating for eczema was denied, while the claim of entitlement to allergic rhinitis was not addressed as it pertained to different issues.
- Granted
The Veteran's OSA is granted as service connected. The Veteran's infectious disease claim and stomach disability claim are remanded for further examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records and authorization for private treatment providers. The issues include heart disorder, OSA, sinusitis, lumbar spine disorder, and right knee disorder all related to Agent Orange exposure.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him so helpless as to be in need of regular aid and attendance, leading to the grant of SMC based on aid and attendance.
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