The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for ischemic heart disease, skin disability, and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy due to potential herbicide exposure. The RO is instructed to verify whether the Veteran served in the Republic of Vietnam and obtain any relevant medical records.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran may have been exposed to herbicides while serving aboard a ship off the coast of the Republic of Vietnam, but verification was needed regarding his service in the area.
- Claimed conditions
- ischemic heart disease, skin cancer, bilateral lower extremity neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20007034
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.
- Partly granted
The Board grants service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus began during his period of active duty service. The claims for ischemic heart disease, aortic valve replacement, status post aortic stenosis, and peripheral vascular disease with popliteal aneurysm are remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case to obtain a new medical opinion regarding the Veteran's ischemic heart disease, as the previous opinions were found inadequate.
- Partly granted
The appeal for service connection for skin cancer was dismissed due to untimeliness, while the claim for squamous cell carcinoma was granted.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the claims.
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