The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical records and inadequate opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's aortic condition. The AOJ is required to obtain relevant medical records, including those from service treatment records at Wurzburg AMC and Brooke AMC, and to provide an adequate VA opinion on the issue.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there may be pertinent service treatment records not associated with the electronic claims file, which could contain information about the Veteran's aortic condition during service. Additionally, the opinions provided by the VA examiners were inadequate as they did not address all aspects of the claim, including the Veteran's lay contentions and the relationship between his hiatal hernia and his aortic condition.
- Claimed conditions
- status post, acute ascending aortic dissection (aortic condition)
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 30, 2020
- Citation
- 20050860
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20050860.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's aortic condition is not related to his active duty service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's aortic condition, specifically whether it is related to his service-connected hiatal hernia and/or ventral incisional hernia. The AOJ must obtain an independent medical opinion from a cardiology expert specializing in such conditions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's aortic condition. The AOJ must obtain an advisory medical opinion from an independent medical expert specializing in cardiology.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right shoulder disability and migraines/chronic headaches are remanded for additional development due to insufficient opinions on the etiology of her conditions.
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