The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the relationship between the Veteran's cause of death and his military service, specifically his presumed exposure to herbicide agents. The Board also notes that the PACT Act may benefit the Appellant in establishing service connection for the Veteran's cause of death.
The deciding factor: The Board found a pre-decisional duty to assist error by failing to obtain an appropriate VA examination and considers the PACT Act as potentially beneficial for the claimant.
- Claimed conditions
- aortic valve leakage, aortic arch aneurysm, cardiogenic shock, multiple organ failure (lung, kidney, brain), cerebrovascular accident
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 19, 2024
- Citation
- A24058394
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 A24058394.
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 Veteran's cause of death, which included atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, is presumed to be related to herbicide agent exposure during service at Fort McClellan. The Board granted the claim for service connection for the cause of death.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected hypertension, cerebrovascular accident, and coronary artery disease are found to be causally linked to his ME/CFS. Service connection for ME/CFS is granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special home adaptation as defined by VA regulations.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, finding that there was no evidence linking his military service to any of the conditions listed on his death certificate.
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