The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty about whether the Veteran was diagnosed with coronary artery disease and hypertension prior to his death, given his service in Da Nang Harbor. The VA needs to review medical evidence and provide a medical opinion on this issue.
The deciding factor: There is insufficient information regarding the diagnosis of CAD/IHD prior to the Veteran's death.
- Claimed conditions
- coronary artery disease (CAD), hypertension (HTN)
- 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
- 20007258
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 the veteran's claims for increased ratings for left foot bursitis and coronary artery disease, as well as special monthly compensation based on housebound status.
- Partly granted
The Board granted restoration of a 60 percent rating for coronary artery disease (CAD) effective June 1, 2021, and increased ratings for mid-sternum scar, left lower extremity (LLE) scar, and migraines to 10%, 20%, and 50% respectively, all effective October 26, 2020.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for pheochromocytoma, hypertension (HTN), heart condition, and diabetes mellitus, type II due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for the AOJ to provide the Veteran with notice concerning his right to a hearing on a supplemental claim in accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 3.103(b)(1) and (d)(1).
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