The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between his claimed conditions and military service, particularly exposure to toxic chemicals.
The deciding factor: The Board finds there is not sufficient medical evidence on file to make a decision on the claim without further examination or opinion regarding the possible association of the Veteran's current conditions with his in-service exposures and activities.
- Claimed conditions
- hearing loss, rheumatoid arthritis, vitiligo, multiple chemical sensitivity, tinnitus (ears-ringing), ocular floaties, residual nerve damage due to oral surgery
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 2, 2026
- Citation
- A26018547
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 A26018547.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis disability rating is being remanded for additional development due to significant weight loss and anemia.
- Granted
The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus. However, it was determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus for VA purposes, thus denying both claims.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and hepatic steatosis have been denied. The claim for rheumatoid arthritis is being remanded.,Service connection has not been established for the claimed conditions.
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