The Board has determined that the VA examinations provided were not responsive to the February 2018 remand directives and thus, the claims for service connection are being remanded for further development.
The deciding factor: The prior remand directives required opinions regarding the Veteran’s other heart conditions as well, including whether his other heart conditions were as likely as not related to his military service, or aggravated by his active duty service. The opinion provided was not responsive to these requirements.
- Claimed conditions
- heart disorder, rheumatic heart disease with mitral valvulitis and insufficiency, psychiatric disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 30, 2020
- Citation
- 20008124
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 a heart disorder, specifically atrial fibrillation, due to exposure to herbicide agents during active duty service in the Republic of Vietnam.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for heart disorder, stroke residuals, sleep apnea, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) to obtain addendum opinions addressing specific risk factors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection of a psychiatric disability to correct an error in not securing an adequate medical opinion.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, headaches, and a psychiatric disorder. The evaluation in excess of 10 percent for the skin disability was also denied.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.