The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's carotid artery stenosis is related to service-connected ischemic heart disease, and specifically because no VA examiner has provided an opinion on herbicide exposure. The Veteran needs to provide private treatment records for ischemic heart disease and undergo a VA examination.
The deciding factor: The Board requires additional evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's carotid artery stenosis and service-connected ischemic heart disease, specifically due to insufficient previous opinions on herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral carotid artery stenosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 28, 2019
- Citation
- 19150666
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral carotid artery stenosis, cervical disc disease, thoracolumbar disc disease, Lewy body dementia with depression, sleep apnea, and others.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss with an effective date of September 6, 2022, and also granted service connection for coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, and bilateral carotid artery stenosis. The initial rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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