The Veteran's claims for service connection for ventricular tachycardia and subacute peripheral neuropathy, both linked to herbicide exposure in Vietnam, are being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions from the November 2011 VA examiner.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners' opinions were based on incorrect factual assumptions regarding the Veteran's service history and current diagnoses.
- Claimed conditions
- Ventricular tachycardia, Acute and subacute peripheral neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 13, 2014
- Citation
- 1401599
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 1401599.
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 claim for service connection for acute and subacute peripheral neuropathy, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the condition and his active military service or herbicide exposure.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple heart disabilities, diabetes mellitus, type II, hypothyroidism, bladder cancer, hypertension, diabetic nephropathy, peripheral neuropathies, bilateral non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and erectile dysfunction based on the Veteran's exposure to herbicides in Korea.
- Granted
The Veteran's heart disabilities, including ischemic heart disease and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, are granted as service-connected due to exposure to herbicides in Korea. Other conditions like diabetes mellitus, type II, hypertension, diabetic nephropathy, peripheral neuropathies, and erectile dysfunction are also granted based on the evidence of record.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the cause of death, but denied service connection for a kidney disorder. The Veteran's cause of death was listed as ventricular tachycardia due to cardiomyopathy, due to end stage renal disease (including hypertension).
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.