The Veteran's claim for service connection for neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities is being remanded due to inadequate examination and failure to address secondary service connection.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected disabilities, specifically deep venous thrombosis of the bilateral lower extremities; pes planus with bilateral V-neck osteotomies, 3rd metatarsals and right foot 5th plalangectomy; degenerative disease of the cervical spine; degenerative joint disease of the right knee; chronic low back strain; and herpes.
- Claimed conditions
- neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 5, 2017
- Citation
- 1715046
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 1715046.
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 Veteran's neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities is granted as service connected due to his in-service benzene exposure.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, but dismissed the claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a lumbar spine disability as moot.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims due to procedural issues and the need for additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between the claimed conditions and service, particularly lung cancer.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the following issues for further development: service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD). The Veteran's current diagnoses are being evaluated to determine if they had onset during his periods of active duty or were caused by a service-connected disability.
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