The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected hypertension resulted in a superimposed disease or injury to his bicuspid aortic valve. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional treatment records and refer the claims file for an opinion on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's heart disorder.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the VA opinions did not substantially comply with the prior remand directives regarding whether the service-connected hypertension resulted in a superimposed injury or disease to the bicuspid aortic valve.
- Claimed conditions
- heart disorder, bicuspid valve disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 13, 2021
- Citation
- 21021733
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 21021733.
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 Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records and authorization for private treatment providers. The issues include heart disorder, OSA, sinusitis, lumbar spine disorder, and right knee disorder all related to Agent Orange exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder, to include ischemic heart disease (IHD), finding that there was not sufficient evidence to establish a link between his current condition and his military service. The Board noted that the Veteran did not have active military service from January 9, 1962, to July 31, 1980, and that he was not exposed to herbicide agents during his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left hip disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, heart disorder, insomnia, sexual arousal disorder, gynecological disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, and HTN. The evidence did not support a current diagnosis of these conditions or their relationship to military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disorder and a heart disorder due to insufficient examination opinions and failure to consider potential exposure to diesel fumes during service.
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