The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for a heart condition and sleep apnea, as secondary to his service-connected disabilities. The case is being remanded for further examination and medical opinions.
The deciding factor: The Board found the existing evidence insufficient to determine whether the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active-duty service or are caused by his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Heart Condition, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, Obesity
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 6, 2023
- Citation
- 23043493
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 23043493.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it is secondary to her service-connected PTSD and obesity. The decision also acknowledges the Veteran's participation in a TERA during service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, as it is unclear whether his condition is caused or aggravated by his service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities and obesity. The AOJ will need to provide a VA examination to clarify these issues.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there is no competent evidence to suggest that PTSD contributed to his passing.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the onset and causation of the Veteran's OSA. The AOJ is required to obtain an addendum opinion from a qualified examiner to address these issues.
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