The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's documented heart disease and/or psychiatric disorder were incurred in or attributable to his service, specifically including his exposure to hazardous chemical agents while stationed at Camp Lejeune. The cause of death was listed as cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia, with alcoholism and diabetes mellitus as contributory causes.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's heart disease (cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia) and psychiatric disorder (alcohol abuse disorder) were not service-connected due to a lack of adjudication on his previous claims for these conditions. The Board also noted that there was no evidence linking these conditions directly to service.
- Claimed conditions
- cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia, alcoholism, diabetes mellitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 23, 2022
- Citation
- 22047923
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 22047923.
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 service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, visual impairment, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's claims were not granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection on the merits are being remanded due to new evidence and development needs. The maximum disability rating for tinnitus has already been assigned.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right lower extremity peripheral artery disease, left lower extremity peripheral artery disease, and hypertension as the evidence did not establish an in-service event or exposure to herbicide agents.
- Granted
The Veteran's Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular Aid and Attendance is granted as of April 25, 2024.,For diabetes mellitus, a rating in excess of 20 percent is denied.
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