The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to potential intermediate stop of obesity between these conditions and the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: VA should consider whether the Veteran’s obesity serves as an intermediate link between his service-connected disabilities and his claimed CAD, hypertension, GERD, and PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- Tension Headaches, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), Hypertension, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Acquired Psychiatric Disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 24, 2020
- Citation
- 20075171
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 20075171.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides or service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and active duty service or herbicide exposure.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's PTSD rating was reduced from 70 percent to 50 percent, effective February 20, 2025. The Board finds the reduction improper and restores the 70 percent disability rating for PTSD.
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