The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining a VA dermatology examination to determine the nature and etiology of his vitiligo. The examiner will need to consider whether vitiligo was caused by service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II or PTSD.
The deciding factor: The Court found that the Board erred in relying on the November 2011 VA examiner's opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus and his vitiligo. The remand is necessary to obtain another opinion considering all relevant evidence, including the Veteran's lay assertions.
- Claimed conditions
- vitiligo
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 30, 2017
- Citation
- 1702518
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 1702518.
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 decided to remand the cases of service connection for vitiligo and obstructive sleep apnea due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran will need new VA examinations to address these issues.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for vitiligo, finding that the Veteran's current condition started during his active duty service and had continuity to the present. The decision is based on the Veteran's lay statements and VA treatment records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the issues of service connection for various cancers and related conditions due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records and inadequate opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, requiring an additional medical opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's vitiligo.
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