The Veteran died from ischemic cardiomyopathy, but the Appellant contends that his service-connected peptic ulcer disease contributed to his death. The VA needs to obtain medical records from McLeod Regional Medical Center and McLeod Hospice House to determine if the peptic ulcer disease was a factor in the cause of death.
The deciding factor: The Appellant's contention about the role of her husband's service-connected peptic ulcer disease in causing his death requires further investigation into his medical history, specifically from McLeod Regional Medical Center and McLeod Hospice House.
- Claimed conditions
- ischemic cardiomyopathy, peptic ulcer disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 6, 2018
- Citation
- 18155742
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 18155742.
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.
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a back disability, an acquired psychiatric disability (generalized anxiety disorder), peptic ulcer disease, and hypertension due to potential errors in obtaining necessary medical opinions and records. The AOJ is required to obtain these opinions and records.
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