The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected ischemic heart disability caused or contributed to his death. The appellant and her daughter contend that the heart condition rendered the Veteran less capable of resisting the effects of his fatal lung disability.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner failed to address the contention raised by the Veteran's daughter, who is a nurse, regarding the impact of the service-connected heart disability on the Veteran's death.
- Claimed conditions
- Ischemic heart disability, Posttraumatic stress disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 2, 2022
- Citation
- 22012142
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 22012142.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's request for reentrance into a VR&E program and retroactive induction for restoration of Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill) educational assistance benefits, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not worsen to the extent that he was precluded from performing the work duties of the occupation for which he previously was found rehabilitated.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder was denied, and her request for an increased rating for PTSD was also denied. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeal as to the proposed rating reduction of posttraumatic stress disorder because the May 20, 2021 rating decision did not effectuate a final and appealable action regarding this claim.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for posttraumatic stress disorder was dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.