The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for a heart disability due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service in Vietnam. The Veteran's back condition is denied as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease.
The deciding factor: Further medical evaluation is needed to determine if the Veteran has ischemic heart disease, which would qualify for presumptive service connection based on his presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service in Vietnam.
- Claimed conditions
- Back condition, Heart disability
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 1, 2018
- Citation
- 18139826
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 18139826.
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 various disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disability, headaches, a back disability, heart disability, and residuals of a stroke, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active service or caused by his service-connected left ear disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a heart disability, finding no current diagnosis and that the Veteran's reported symptoms were not supported by medical evidence. The issues of service connection for a low back disability and entitlement to TDIU are remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a sleep disability and a heart disability, as well as a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to July 28, 2022.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for a heart disability, to include ischemic heart disease (IHD), due to an incomplete military personnel record and the need for further development of evidence related to exposure to Agent Orange.
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