The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's heart disorder, specifically whether it is related to his active duty service and/or herbicide exposure. The Veteran will need to provide additional records and a new VA medical opinion.
The deciding factor: The Board found the previous medical opinion inadequate as it did not address the relationship between the Veteran’s atrial fibrillation and herbicide exposure, nor provided a rationale for why this is so.
- Claimed conditions
- atriial fibrillation
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 30, 2020
- Citation
- 20081674
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 has remanded the case due to deficiencies in obtained contract medical opinions, particularly regarding potential links between the Veteran's service and his death from metastatic melanoma. The examiner is required to address submitted literature and consider contributory causes of death as listed on the death certificate.
- Granted
The Veteran was granted TDIU from May 21, 2019 to June 24, 2019. The Board denied TDIU prior to May 21, 2019 and from June 25, 2019 due to the lack of substantial gainful employment.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted TDIU.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for esophageal cancer and cause of death due to atrial fibrillation, as well as prostate cancer. The remand includes obtaining additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's conditions and exposure history.
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