The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical records and the need for a new opinion regarding whether the Veteran's heart conditions are related to service or exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on the need for additional evidence and clarification of the relationship between the Veteran's heart conditions and his military service, specifically the potential connection to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
- Claimed conditions
- heart block, arrhythmia, congestive heart failure, implantation of pacemaker
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 15, 2019
- Citation
- 19103482
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a heart condition to obtain an addendum opinion from a VA clinician regarding whether the Veteran's current heart condition is related to service, including in-service treatment for hypertension.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding no evidence that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides during his service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew her appeals for service connection for various conditions, including arrhythmia and migraine headaches.
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