The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need to determine if he served within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam, which would allow him to receive the presumption of exposure to herbicide agents. If so, an examination will be scheduled to determine the nature and etiology of any hypertension condition.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service in the Republic of Vietnam is unclear due to a change in definition regarding what constitutes service within the Republic of Vietnam. Further development is needed to clarify this issue before determining eligibility for presumptive exposure to herbicide agents.
- Claimed conditions
- coronary artery disease (claimed as ischemic heart disease), prostate cancer, hypertension, a psychiatric condition including anxiety disorder, not otherwise specified (claimed as post-traumatic stress disorder)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 11, 2021
- Citation
- 21008095
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 21008095.
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 claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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