The Board remands the claims for service connection for the Veteran's cause of death and entitlement to DIC benefits due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his death.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided were found to be inadequate as they did not adequately address all of the Veteran's service-connected conditions in relation to his death, particularly with respect to their potential contribution or causation.
- Claimed conditions
- PTSD, post-phlebitic syndrome, residuals of prostate cancer, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type 2, lumbar strain, bilateral radiculopathy of the lower extremities, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, right hand fracture, hearing loss, duodenal ulcer, limited motion of wrist, erectile dysfunction, pulmonary embolism
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 24, 2025
- Citation
- A25037718
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 claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder, as well as presumptive service connection for basal cell carcinoma under the PACT Act. Service connection was denied for chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, right restless leg syndrome, left restless leg syndrome, an increased rating for psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, a left forehead surgical scar, and allergic rhinitis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction due to an inadequate VA opinion regarding its etiology.
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