The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy, right bundle branch block, diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral upper extremity neuropathy and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy. The claim of service connection for tremors (claimed as Parkinsonism/Parkinson-like symptoms) is remanded due to a duty to assist error.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents is conceded, but the VA examination did not provide an opinion on whether his tremors are at least as likely as not caused by or the result of his in-service exposure to herbicide agents.
- Claimed conditions
- coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy, right bundle branch block, diabetes mellitus, type 2, bilateral upper extremity neuropathy, bilateral lower extremity neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 17, 2026
- Citation
- A26014159
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 A26014159.
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 the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for coronary artery disease is being remanded due to the inadequacy of a previous VA examination.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for valvular heart disease, peripheral vascular disease of the right and left legs, and hypertension were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings under the applicable rating criteria.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for coronary artery disease, hypertension, and stroke as there was no evidence of herbicide agent exposure during service and the medical opinions were against a nexus to service.
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