The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back disability and ischemic heart disease (IHD) due to herbicide exposure are remanded. The VA examiner found no evidence linking the low back disability to service, but acknowledged the Veteran’s testimony about his symptoms since service. For IHD, the AOJ is instructed to verify the Veteran's alleged exposure to herbicides in Thailand and provide a medical opinion on its relationship with service.
The deciding factor: The Board has determined that further development is needed for both low back disability and ischemic heart disease (IHD) claims due to potential errors in the initial decision-making process regarding evidence of service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back disability, Ischemic heart disease (IHD)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 14, 2018
- Citation
- 18135055
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 18135055.
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 the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the current disabilities to military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected low back disability alone does not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and bilateral hip disability, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluation and effective dates are being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to address the severity of his low back disability, including whether he has experienced incapacitating episodes of IVDS.
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