The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension and COPD due to predecisional duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran's hypertension is presumed to have existed prior to service, but there was no examination or opinion addressing whether it was aggravated by service. For COPD, there was no direct service connection medical opinion on the relationship between in-service chest pain and difficulty swallowing.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there were predecisional duty-to-assist errors regarding the lack of an examination or opinion addressing the aggravation of hypertension prior to service and the lack of a direct service connection medical opinion for COPD related to in-service symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 2, 2026
- Citation
- A26009254
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 A26009254.
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.
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The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
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- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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