The veteran's claim for service connection for an enlarged heart, claimed as secondary to his service-connected hypertension, is being remanded due to conflicting medical opinions and the need for additional evidence.
The deciding factor: There are conflicting medical opinions regarding whether the veteran has cardiac enlargement and its likely etiology. The case requires a clarifying medical opinion and additional records from VA and non-VA providers.
- Claimed conditions
- enlarged heart
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 30, 2004
- Citation
- 0411388
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 0411388.
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 motion to revise a May 1993 decision denying service connection for a heart condition, claimed as enlarged heart, based on an allegation of clear and unmistakable error (CUE).
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for hypertension and hypothyroidism, both due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents under the PACT Act. Other claims were either dismissed or remanded for further evidence.
- Partly granted
The veteran's claims for higher ratings for knee conditions and hemorrhoids were denied. However, the veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU). Claims for service connection for an enlarged heart were denied, while claims for benign prostatic hypertrophy and erectile dysfunction were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to a lack of VA examination and opinion regarding his service connection claims for various disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, arthritis, an enlarged heart, frostbite, prostate enlargement, kidney tumor, and high blood pressure. The Veteran contends that these conditions began during service or are related to service.
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