The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's heart condition. The examiner needs to provide a clearer explanation for their conclusion that there is no nexus between service and the current heart condition.
The deciding factor: The examiner concluded that since the Veteran was not diagnosed with CAD until years later, there cannot be a nexus correlation between the chest pain during service and the present CAD condition now.
- Claimed conditions
- Heart condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 20, 2021
- Citation
- 21031204
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 21031204.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for service connection of a heart condition is dismissed as the Board has already granted it. The appeal for increased rating of PTSD is also dismissed due to the grant of service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, basal cell carcinoma, bilateral pseudophakia, dry eye syndrome and blepharitis (bilateral eye conditions), diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and heart condition due to inadequate opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's exposure to asbestos is conceded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, basal cell carcinoma, bilateral pseudophakia, dry eye syndrome and blepharitis (bilateral eye conditions), diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and heart condition due to inadequate opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's exposure to asbestos is conceded.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection of a heart condition as secondary to his service-connected unspecified depressive disorder with anxiety, alcohol use disorder, and stimulant use disorder. The decision is based on evidence showing that the Veteran's heart condition is related to his long-term alcohol use disorder.
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