The Veteran's cause of death is listed as cardiac arrest and possible acute coronary syndrome. The Board has determined that the Veteran’s in-service exposure to an herbicide agent must be conceded, but no VA examiner has provided an opinion on whether these conditions contributed to his death.
The deciding factor: No VA examiner has provided an opinion on whether any of the diagnosed conditions were a primary or contributory cause of the Veteran's death.
- Claimed conditions
- cardiac arrest, asystole, possible acute coronary syndrome
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 27, 2019
- Citation
- 19150485
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 granted service connection for the cause of death, determining that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's fatal conditions were caused by his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's cardiac arrest and hypertension are related to his military service, specifically addressing his complaint of chest pain during service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of death and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, finding no evidence that a service-connected condition caused or contributed to the Veteran's death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded the claims for service connection for cause of death and entitlement to DIC due to inadequate medical examination.
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