The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for service-connected Type II diabetes mellitus is denied. The Board finds that the Veteran's hypertension, which includes diabetic peripheral neuropathy as part of his diabetes mellitus, should be remanded to determine if it is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.
The deciding factor: The March 2016 VA examiner did not address whether the Veteran’s hypertension was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus and/or diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The Board finds this necessary for a complete evaluation of the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- Type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, diabetic peripheral neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 19, 2018
- Citation
- 18119971
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 18119971.
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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