The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records from Luke Air Force Base and Clark Air Force Base. The Veteran's cause of death is being reviewed by a VA pulmonologist to determine if it is at least as likely as not related to his active duty service.
The deciding factor: A VA pulmonologist will provide an opinion on the relationship between the Veteran's active duty service and his cause of death, considering previous medical opinions and the available records.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Prostate cancer, Malaria, Multiple back injuries
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 23, 2014
- Citation
- 1423651
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 1423651.
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 arteriosclerotic heart disease is rated at 100% effective October 25, 2024. His prostate cancer residuals are rated at 60% effective October 25, 2024.
- Granted
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and prostate cancer are granted service connection, with the latter requiring a VA examination to address exposure to burn pits.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's death was caused by acute hypoxic respiratory failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, with hypertension as a significant contributing factor. The Board finds that remand is necessary to obtain the Veteran's complete military records and treatment records.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss in the right ear has been denied. The Board found that there is no current diagnosis of right ear hearing loss and thus, cannot establish a link to service. For prostate cancer, the Veteran's claim is remanded as VA did not provide an opinion regarding whether his condition may be related to service due to toxic exposure.
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