The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and further development is needed before a decision can be made on whether service connection for the cause of the veteran's death should be granted.
The deciding factor: Further investigation into the appellant's claim, including obtaining medical records from Dr. Stekelman, is required to determine if service-connected conditions contributed to the veteran's death.
- Claimed conditions
- Congestive heart failure, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary artery disease, Diabetes mellitus, End stage renal disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 5, 2007
- Citation
- 0703696
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 0703696.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for heart condition was granted with an effective date of August 1, 2019. The decision is based on evidence showing exposure to diesel and gas fuel during service.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of ambulance travel expenses incurred on June 17, 2025 due to an emergency heart attack. The ambulance service was provided by a volunteer organization and later intercepted by a higher-tier EMT company.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted SMC at the (r)(1) rate due to his service-connected major depressive disorder and congestive heart failure, which require regular aid and attendance.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment since September 27, 2010. Additionally, he is in receipt of a 60 percent disability rating for coronary artery disease, which meets the criteria for SMC at the housebound rate.
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