The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's heart disabilities are caused by or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD and sleep apnea. The Veteran provided evidence suggesting a link between PTSD and heart conditions, but no such opinion was provided in the original decision.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not address the medical studies/articles cited by the Veteran regarding the relationship between PTSD and heart conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- arteriosclerotic heart disease (coronary artery disease), congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator (AICD), valvular heart disease
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 3, 2023
- Citation
- 23006962
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 23006962.
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 Veteran's claims for increased ratings for valvular heart disease, peripheral vascular disease of the right and left legs, and hypertension were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings under the applicable rating criteria.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease with myocardial infarction is granted on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicide agents during his active duty in Korea.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for coronary artery disease and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The decision is pending further action as private treatment records are needed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's eligibility for PCAFC benefits is remanded due to the AOJ's failure to address whether it is in the best interest of the Veteran to participate in the program. The Board finds that the Veteran has been in need of personal care services for at least six continuous months based on an inability to perform the ADL of bathing.
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