The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death. However, the case is being remanded as further medical opinion is needed to determine if the Veteran's cause of death was related to his in-service arrhythmias and subsequent cardiac ablation procedure.
The deciding factor: The Board found that new evidence has been received which raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. However, due to conflicting opinions and lack of definitive medical documentation linking the Veteran’s cause of death directly to service-connected conditions, further clarification is needed from an electrophysicocardiologist.
- Claimed conditions
- cardiac arrhythmia/bradycardia with hx prior ablation 1998, right heart failure, RBBB, prolonged QT, AMI, leukocytosis, acute change in mental status, diaphoresis, severe dyspnea, massive pulmonary emboli
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19125570
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 317 · Granted: 19% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19125570.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for leukocytosis is granted. The Board finds the evidence in balance, granting the benefit of doubt to the Veteran.,For his spine disability, the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent is denied as there is no evidence showing forward flexion limited to 30 degrees or less, favorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine, or incapacitating episodes in the past year.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and leukocytosis, finding no medical link between these conditions and his active-duty service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for leukocytosis, an increased rating for gout with bilateral involvement, and a total disability based upon individual unemployability due to additional development of evidence.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded the claim for further development to correct a duty to assist error. A new TERA memorandum considering all periods of service must be obtained.
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