The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for diabetes mellitus, type II and its complications, as well as various eye disabilities, heart conditions, peripheral neuropathy, and psychiatric disorders. The remand is due to the need to verify the Veteran’s reported exposure to herbicides while in Panama.
The deciding factor: The Board found that verification of the Veteran's reported Agent Orange exposure was necessary for proper adjudication of his service connection claims.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, type II, left eye disability (diabetic retinopathy and cataracts), right eye disability (diabetic retinopathy and cataracts), congestive heart failure, ischemic heart disease, irregular heartbeat, hypertension, peripheral artery disease, erectile dysfunction (also claimed as low testosterone), renal disease, diabetic ulcer, right foot, transient ischemic attack (TIA) stroke, peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity, acquired psychiatric disorder (bipolar disorder and adjustment disorder)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 18, 2018
- Citation
- 18159047
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 18159047.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, including ischemic heart disease. The evidence did not support a finding of a current disability related to service.
- 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.
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