The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for polymyalgia rheumatica and idiopathic cardiomyopathy are remanded due to new evidence submitted after a previous denial. The RO is instructed to verify the timeframe of the Veteran's service at El Toro, request additional information regarding alleged contamination, and conduct further development related to herbicide exposure outside Vietnam.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the previously denied claims were reopened due to new medical evidence linking the conditions to service, specifically to potential exposure to herbicides during service at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro.
- Claimed conditions
- polymyalgia rheumatica, idiopathic cardiomyopathy
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 11, 2018
- Citation
- 18133382
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 18133382.
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 service connection for polymyalgia rheumatica and remanded the issue of rating a disability in excess of 30 percent for coronary artery disease.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, bilateral osteopenia, and polymyalgia rheumatica due to inadequate VA examination reports.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for various conditions has been withdrawn by the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for polymyalgia rheumatica as the evidence did not support a finding that the condition was incurred in or aggravated by active service.
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