The Board remands the claims for service connection for aortic valve insufficiency and vascular disease, to include as secondary to hypertension, due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
The deciding factor: The opinions provided by the VA examiners were found inadequate, and an addendum opinion is necessary to address the Veteran's claim adequately.
- Claimed conditions
- aortic valve insufficiency, vascular disease
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 13, 2025
- Citation
- A25023454
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for further development, specifically requesting addendum medical opinions to address the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed bilateral pes planus and other orthopedic foot disorders, as well as lower extremity peripheral vascular disease.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for asthma, end stage renal disease, myocardial infarction, hypertension, and vascular disease. The evidence did not show these conditions were incurred in service or within one year of separation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded the veteran's claims for service connection for vascular disease and headaches. The Board found that the VA medical opinions provided were inadequate and required further development.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right lower extremity sciatica associated with the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine strain, but remanded claims for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and sleep apnea.
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