The Board has determined that the cause of the Veteran's death is remanded due to a failure to obtain medical opinions regarding the etiology of his heart condition and pneumonia. The VA will need to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's conditions are related to service, including exposure to contaminated water during Camp Lejeune.
The deciding factor: The Board found a pre-decisional duty to assist error due to the failure to obtain medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's heart condition and pneumonia. The VA will need to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the conditions are related to service, including exposure to contaminated water during Camp Lejeune.
- Claimed conditions
- Congestive Heart Failure, Atrial Fibrillation with Rapid Response, Pneumonia
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 18, 2021
- Citation
- A21018498
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 A21018498.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination focusing on his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his eligibility for benefits, as well as his need for aid and attendance.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of 100 percent for CAD was granted effective November 28, 2023. The effective date is based on the date of a VA examination showing the increase in disability.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Congestive Heart Failure with Atrial Fibrillation with AICD and Hypertension (High Blood Pressure), finding that there was no evidence of direct service connection, and that the conditions were not caused or aggravated by service-connected OSA.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for congestive heart failure, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to his military service. The Veteran's private cardiologist and VA examiner both opined against a link between his current condition and service.
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