The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and major depressive disorder (MDD) due to potential exposure to herbicides during service in Korea. The claim for diabetes is based on a presumption of exposure to Agent Orange, while the MDD claim remains pending as it may be related to the service-connected diabetes.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service dates are not within the timeframe for presuming herbicide exposure, and a request should be sent to JSRRC for verification of exposure to herbicides during his service in Korea.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, type II, major depressive disorder (MDD)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 1, 2018
- Citation
- 18139832
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 18139832.
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.
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The Board remands the claims for service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding their etiology.
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The Board remands the claims for service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus to obtain further medical opinions regarding their potential relationship to toxic exposures during active service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and bilateral knee strain to obtain additional medical opinions.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for hypertension, atherosclerosis, and diabetes mellitus; granted service connection for erectile dysfunction and skin cancer; and restored the 10 percent rating for hypertension.
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