The Board remands the matter to secure an addendum examination opinion regarding whether the Veteran's documented heart disease was incurred in or attributable to his service, specifically including exposure to hazardous chemical agents while stationed at Camp Lejeune.
The deciding factor: The March 2025 examiner provided inadequate rationale for their opinions and did not address the Board's specific queries regarding the relationship between the Veteran's documented heart condition and his service, particularly his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
- Claimed conditions
- heart condition
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 19, 2025
- Citation
- 25006816
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 Board denied service connection for GERD, a heart condition, hypertension, a kidney condition, and obstructive sleep apnea as there is no evidence of current disabilities related to these conditions or that they are etiologically linked to the Veteran's military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a new medical opinion to address whether the Appellant's heart condition had onset during his period of ACDUTRA service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for cervical spine condition, diabetes mellitus, heart condition, lumbar spine condition, and urinary frequency and voiding condition as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service incurrence or aggravation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter to obtain a medical opinion on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's heart condition, considering potential service connection under the PACT Act.
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