The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and Type II diabetes mellitus, both secondary to PTSD. The VA will seek additional information from the Veteran regarding his reported exposures and provide an addendum opinion addressing the theories of entitlement.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on the need for further clarification and evaluation of the Veteran's claims due to incomplete or insufficient evidence in the current file.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Type II Diabetes Mellitus
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19126305
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for asbestosis, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), rhinitis, sinusitis, and asthma. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was also denied a compensable rating.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for type II diabetes mellitus, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for COPD as secondary to diabetes and denied increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy conditions, while dismissing claims related to upper extremity neuropathy.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a higher level of special monthly compensation (SMC) as he does not meet the criteria for an increased rate based on his service-connected disabilities.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.