The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's additional disability was caused or aggravated by VA's referral for a MAZE procedure, and if so, whether such additional disability was reasonably foreseeable as an ordinary risk of the treatment.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on the need for a more definitive opinion regarding the causation and foreseeability of the Veteran's additional disabilities due to the VA referral for a MAZE procedure.
- Claimed conditions
- phrenic nerve paralysis, additional heart disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 5, 2021
- Citation
- 21067709
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 21067709.
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 remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for phrenic nerve paralysis with related left hemidiaphragm paralysis and sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected cervical spine and shoulder disorders due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 and TDIU due to the need for additional development, including a VA medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for an adequate nexus opinion addressing his contentions and legal requirements of 38 U.S.C. § 1151, including a review of records from June 2005 to February 2012.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for atrial fibrillation and phrenic nerve paralysis, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted. The claims were also denied for compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 due to lack of a qualifying event.
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