The Veteran's death was caused by myocardial infarction, with underlying causes of end stage renal disease, COPD, and chronic congestive heart failure. The Appellant contends that the Veteran’s exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during his service contributed to these conditions. However, none of the listed conditions are presumptively caused by exposure to contaminants at Camp Lejeune. The Board finds a need for a medical opinion regarding whether any of the Veteran's already service-connected conditions or exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune contributed to his death.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there is insufficient evidence to determine if the Veteran’s exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune caused his death, and thus remanded for a medical opinion on this issue.
- Claimed conditions
- myocardial infarction, end stage renal disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic congestive heart failure
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 19, 2021
- Citation
- 21023027
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 21023027.
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.
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- Dismissed
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- Denied
The Board denied service connection for asthma, COPD, pancreatitis, stroke, and left arm weakness (claimed as secondary to stroke) based on the presumption of exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service or due to in-service exposure.
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