The Veteran's grade I diastolic heart failure is being remanded for a determination on whether it was aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus and hypertension. The atopic dermatitis and PTSD claims are also being remanded for further evaluation.
The deciding factor: The initial decision did not address the aggravation aspect of the Veteran's secondary service connection claim for grade I diastolic heart failure, which is a pre-decisional error that must be corrected on remand.
- Claimed conditions
- grade I diastolic heart failure, atopic dermatitis, recurrent ingrown toenails
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 13, 2023
- Citation
- A23035766
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A23035766.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's low back disability, diagnosed as lumbosacral strain, osseous & subluxation stenosis of lumbar foramina, is granted with a rating of 40 percent effective February 9, 2024. The other service connection claims are also granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal is denied as the disability rating for atopic dermatitis and pilaris keratosis was reduced from 60 percent to 30 percent effective July 1, 2020. The Veteran does not meet criteria for a higher rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for left knee strain, obstructive sleep apnea, atopic dermatitis, chronic rhinitis, and chronic sinusitis due to insufficient medical opinions addressing all theories of entitlement. The Veteran's conditions are now considered significantly worsened.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's skin disability (atopic dermatitis, folliculitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and seborrheic keratosis) on a direct basis. The decision finds that there is at least an equipoise of evidence to support the claim, thus resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.
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.