The Board has determined that the Veteran's service in the Republic of Vietnam is presumed, and thus his exposure to herbicides is also presumed. The decision now requires a medical opinion regarding whether these exposures are related to his cause of death.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service in the Republic of Vietnam was found to be presumptive based on his receipt of medals indicating such service, despite unavailable records. However, his exposure to herbicides is also presumed due to his service in Vietnam.
- Claimed conditions
- cardio-pulmonary arrest, end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiomyopathy
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 21, 2026
- Citation
- A26005701
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 A26005701.
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.
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for cardiomyopathy and hypertension due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error in the April 2025 rating decision. The issues are being remanded for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician.
- Denied
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