The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of adequate examination, and further evaluation is needed to determine if the Veteran's heart disability had its onset during active service or is related to any incident of service.
The deciding factor: The VA examination report is of limited probative value as it does not include an exercise stress test which was not performed due to equipment issues.
- Claimed conditions
- mitral valve prolapse
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 27, 2026
- Citation
- A26028252
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 A26028252.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bicuspid aortic valve and mitral valve prolapse, finding that the Veteran's heart disability was aggravated by military service.
- Granted
The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of a heart disability (mitral valve prolapse) due to new and relevant evidence, finding that it was aggravated by military service. Service connection is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic sinusitis is granted. The claims for higher ratings for migraine headaches, mitral valve prolapse, and an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, chronic fatigue, rheumatoid arthritis, dermatitis, low back disability, and sciatic radicular pain of both lower extremities are also remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's service-connected mitral valve prolapse, finding that a rating in excess of 10 percent was not warranted from January 3, 2019 to August 2, 2024 and a rating in excess of 60 percent was not warranted from August 2, 2024.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.