The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an updated medical opinion regarding the Veteran's cause of death and service connection claim.
The deciding factor: The current medical opinions are insufficient to address the etiology of the Veteran's fatal heart and lung disabilities, as well as the relationship between his hypertension and these conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, Chronic pulmonary disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 14, 2017
- Citation
- 1757827
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1757827.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's death was caused by cardiopulmonary arrest due to heart disorders, with significant contributing causes including diabetes and angioplasty. The Board found that the Veteran's PTSD contributed substantially to his heart conditions, leading to a grant of service connection for the cause of death.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange in Da Nang, Vietnam. The VA will need to verify this information and then obtain a medical opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the exposure could have resulted in the cause of death.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease is remanded due to the need for additional medical records, particularly from non-VA facilities.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, ischemic heart disease, is presumed to be related to service due to exposure to herbicide agents (including Agent Orange) during his active duty. As a result, the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death is granted.
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