The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's bicuspid valve condition was aggravated by his military service, and if so, whether it is related to service.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on the need for an expert medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's heart condition was aggravated by his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- bicuspid valve prolapse, heart valve replacement, congestive heart failure
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 18, 2019
- Citation
- 19146969
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 Board dismissed all service connection claims due to the Veteran's death, as there is no substituted appellant for this appeal.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.