The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to assess whether the Veteran's ischemic heart disease is related to his exposure to commercial herbicides in service, specifically near the Korean DMZ. The examiner must consider indirect exposure and provide an opinion based on the likelihood of such exposure causing or contributing to the Veteran's condition.
The deciding factor: The Court found that the Board erred by relying solely on the August 2015 examiner’s opinion without addressing whether indirect physical contact with commercial herbicides could have caused or contributed to the development of ischemic heart disease.
- Claimed conditions
- ischemic heart disease
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 23, 2018
- Citation
- 18128868
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 18128868.
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: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, including ischemic heart disease. The evidence did not support a finding of a current disability related to service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right lower extremity peripheral artery disease, left lower extremity peripheral artery disease, and hypertension as the evidence did not establish an in-service event or exposure to herbicide agents.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for a heart disability prior to his death is granted as he was entitled to accrued benefits due to the September 1994 claim, which included ischemic heart disease, a covered herbicide disease.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is granted as service connected due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents while serving aboard the USS Intrepid within 12 nautical miles of the Republic of Vietnam.
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