The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, preparing a VA medical opinion, and readjudicating the claim.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner is needed to provide an opinion on whether any disability that caused the Veteran's death manifested in service or was otherwise etiologically related to service; and whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities either caused or contributed substantially or materially to his death due to vascular dementia and/or a heart disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- Vascular dementia, Heart disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 2, 2018
- Citation
- 1806960
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 1806960.
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 Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) were both denied. The Board found that the Veteran's PTSD symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, as they only resulted in occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.
- Granted
The Veteran's cause of death, cerebrovascular disease and vascular dementia, was found to be caused in part by his service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The Board granted service connection for the cause of death.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder is dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to January 2, 2023, for the establishment of service connection for tinnitus is denied.,The Veteran's claims for bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are remanded.,The Veteran's claims for a headache disorder and hypertension are remanded.,The Veteran's claim for a heart disorder is remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, hypertension and heart disorder as secondary to service-connected residuals of right calf gastrocnemius herniation repair, compartment syndrome, neuropathy.
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.