The Board has determined that the issues of service connection for heart disease and stroke, as well as entitlement to special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance or being housebound, are inextricably intertwined. Therefore, these issues must be remanded for further development.
The deciding factor: The amended regulations now include hypertensive or atherosclerotic heart disease, and stroke and its residuals as presumptive disabilities for former prisoners of war. The veteran's service-connected disabilities could impact his entitlement to special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance or being housebound. As these issues are inextricably intertwined with the claim for special monthly compensation, they must be remanded.
- Claimed conditions
- heart disease, stroke
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 30, 2006
- Citation
- 0619279
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 0619279.
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.
- Partly granted
The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions were denied, except for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss disability which were granted. The veteran was also granted service connection for hypertension.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for an eye condition, hearing loss, heart disease, arthritis, and diabetes due to a regulatory duty to assist error.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for ischemic heart disease, heart disease, and congestive heart failure as not being related to the Veteran's active service. The Board also denied an earlier effective date for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
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