The Board has remanded the case due to a disagreement over whether the cause of death, congestive heart failure (CHF), is related to previously diagnosed coronary artery disease and if CHF is presumptively linked to in-service herbicide exposure.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was insufficient evidence to determine the relationship between the Veteran's underlying cause of death, CHF, and his previously diagnosed coronary artery disease.
- Claimed conditions
- respiratory arrest, congestive heart failure (CHF), cancer of the throat
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 13, 2019
- Citation
- 19111361
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,776 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19111361.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's heart condition, finding that it is secondary to his service-connected PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for cardiomyopathy and an initial compensable rating for a scar from a pacemaker implant are being remanded due to the need for clarification regarding his congestive heart failure.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for nerves (physical condition) due to a lack of evidence showing the presence of a current disability. The claims for cancer of the throat and nerves (mental condition) are remanded as there may be relevant private treatment records that have not been obtained.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is found to have caused his hypertension, and the Veteran's service-connected GERD is found to have caused his CHF. Therefore, both conditions are granted as secondary to their respective service-connected disabilities.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.