The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an addendum medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current heart disorders are directly related to herbicide exposure during service in Vietnam.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner needs to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the current pericardial effusion and hypertension with cardiomegaly were caused by or etiologically related to herbicide exposure during service in Vietnam.
- Claimed conditions
- pericardial effusion, hypertension with cardiomegaly
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 12, 2020
- Citation
- 20072881
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for pleural effusion, pericarditis, chronic, lung changes, left, lung scarring, left, and pericardial effusion to obtain additional medical evidence.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical opinion addressing whether the Veteran's left eye condition is related to service, as it found that the condition did not preexist service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for prostate cancer, related to in-service exposures at Camp Lejeune.
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.