The Board has remanded the claims for Alzheimer’s disease/dementia, kidney disease, and heart disorder due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The appellant's DIC claim under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is denied as the Veteran did not have a service-connected disability rated as totally disabling at any point after his separation from service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the appellant’s claims for Alzheimer’s disease/dementia, kidney disease, and heart disorder were insufficiently supported by medical opinions regarding their etiology. The DIC claim under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 was denied as the Veteran did not have a service-connected disability rated as totally disabling at any point after his separation from service.
- Claimed conditions
- Alzheimer’s disease/dementia, kidney disease, heart disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 16, 2020
- Citation
- A20018638
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A20018638.
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.
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The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease are being remanded due to the need for VA examinations to determine if these conditions are related to his exposure to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune during service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records and authorization for private treatment providers. The issues include heart disorder, OSA, sinusitis, lumbar spine disorder, and right knee disorder all related to Agent Orange exposure.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for heart disease, hypertension, kidney disease, and low back pain due to potential errors in duty to assist. The AOJ is required to verify the Veteran's alleged exposure to herbicide agents and obtain private treatment records.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and kidney disease, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The decision also remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.
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