The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease and peripheral neuropathy in his bilateral lower extremities due to potential exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange) during service. The Veteran needs further examination to determine if he served within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam, and a VA medical examination is required to assess the nature and etiology of his IHD and neuropathy.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange) during service may be relevant for his claims due to potential service connection based on presumptive service connection criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD), Peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity (LLE), Peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity (RLE)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 7, 2022
- Citation
- 22067600
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 22067600.
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 has remanded the claims of service connection for a heart disability and hypertension due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors. The AOJ is required to obtain addendum medical opinions regarding toxic exposure risk activities (TERA).
- Granted
The Board has restored service connection for Ischemic Heart Disease, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Diabetes Mellitus type II, Chronic Kidney Disease, Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy of the lower left extremity sciatic nerve, Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy of the lower right extremity sciatic nerve, and Hypertension. The Board found that the original grant of service connection was not clearly erroneous due to the Veteran's exposure along the DMZ in Korea.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for ischemic heart disease prior to March 19, 2024 was denied. From March 19, 2024, the Veteran is rated at 60 percent for IHD and TDIU claims are not granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent prior to April 18, 2022 for Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) was denied.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent from April 18, 2022 to December 22, 2022 for IHD is pending and requires further development.
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.