The Board has granted the appellant's petitions to readjudicate her claims for service connection for heart disabilities and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder. However, both claims are remanded due to new evidence submitted since the last decision.
The deciding factor: New evidence was received that suggests a link between the Veteran's current diagnoses of heart disabilities and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and his military service in Panama.
- Claimed conditions
- heart disabilities, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 18, 2026
- Citation
- A26024149
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 A26024149.
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 has remanded the claims of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and entitlement to VA DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to a need for further evaluation regarding the relationship between any identified pulmonary/respiratory disability, including bronchial asthma, and active service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including obtaining information about the qualifications of a VA examiner and completing a TERA memorandum. The claims for service connection are remanded.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.,PTSD was granted with an initial rating of 30 percent, effective January 16, 2018. The rating was increased to 50 percent on September 15, 2020.
- Granted
The Veteran's heart and respiratory disabilities are deemed to have been caused by the VA's failure to exercise proper care, resulting in additional disability. The Board has determined that compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is warranted.
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