The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of the Veteran's service in Vietnam, which could impact his eligibility for presumptive service connection based on exposure to herbicide agents. The RO must verify the nature and extent of the Veteran’s service onboard the USS Black, including any deployments within the 12 nautical mile territorial sea of the Republic of Vietnam.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the holding in Procopio potentially impacts the outcome of the appellant's claim due to the expanded definition of a veteran with service in the Republic of Vietnam. The RO must verify the Veteran’s dates of service onboard the USS Black and its operations in the Gulf of Tonkin during his time onboard.
- Claimed conditions
- ischemic cardiomyopathy, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 13, 2019
- Citation
- 19136878
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,240 · Granted: 28% (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 19136878.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis disability rating is being remanded for additional development due to significant weight loss and anemia.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and hepatic steatosis have been denied. The claim for rheumatoid arthritis is being remanded.,Service connection has not been established for the claimed conditions.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
Service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren's syndrome is granted.,Service connection for hypertension is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset in service or as a result of a disease or injury in active service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for blackouts and fainting spells, a bilateral foot condition, and rheumatoid arthritis due to lack of new and relevant evidence.
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