The Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for his service-connected chronic cough and TDIU are remanded due to inadequate medical evidence in the record. A new VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of his condition, taking into account the ameliorative effects of any medications he uses.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the existing medical examinations were inadequate for rating purposes and did not provide information necessary to rate the Veteran's chronic cough under the assigned criteria. Therefore, a new examination is needed to evaluate the current severity of his condition.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic cough
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 31, 2026
- Citation
- A26029061
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 A26029061.
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 Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic cough is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if his current gastroesophageal disorder, which may be related to GERD, was present at any time proximate to his September 2020 claim and whether it is directly related to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is about whether he should be granted a separate compensable rating for his chronic cough disability, which is distinct from his service-connected respiratory disabilities. The Board finds that the VA did not properly address this issue and requires further examination to determine if the Veteran has a separate chronic cough disability.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder, denied an initial compensable rating for service-connected erectile dysfunction, and readjudicated the claims of entitlement to service connection for left and right hand numbness based on new evidence. The remaining claims were remanded.
- Granted
Service connection for asthma and OSA is granted due to exposure to burn pits, while service connection for chronic cough is denied.
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