The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate examination and need for an addendum opinion regarding the relationship between hypertension and service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The Veteran's claim is also being reviewed in light of a recent NAS Institute of Medicine report on Agent Orange exposure and hypertension.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the current examination did not adequately address whether hypertension was caused or aggravated by the service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, and requested an addendum opinion. Additionally, the Board noted the need to consider the National Academy of Sciences' (NAS) Institute of Medicine's Veterans and Agent Orange: Update 2010 report on the relationship between herbicide exposure and hypertension.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 5, 2016
- Citation
- 1604337
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 1604337.
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 for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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