The Board remands the claims for service connection for a heart condition and the cause of the Veteran's death due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error related to the Veteran's exposure to ionizing radiation and/or asbestos in service.
The deciding factor: Remand is necessary to obtain a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's heart condition and his cause of death, considering his presumed exposure to ionizing radiation and/or asbestos during service.
- Claimed conditions
- heart condition, including coronary artery disease (CAD), atrial fibrillations, and arrythmia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 30, 2025
- Citation
- A25056120
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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