The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and a skin condition due to exposure to herbicide agents. The VA is instructed to obtain additional records from private healthcare facilities and VA medical centers, as well as determine if the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents while serving in Vietnam.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there were insufficient records available to determine whether the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during service, which is a prerequisite for presumptive service connection based on exposure to herbicide agents.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus type II, ischemic heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a skin condition
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 16, 2019
- Citation
- 19129290
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.
- Partly granted
The Board grants service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus began during his period of active duty service. The claims for ischemic heart disease, aortic valve replacement, status post aortic stenosis, and peripheral vascular disease with popliteal aneurysm are remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, with the exception of remanding certain issues.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection, higher ratings, and earlier effective dates, as well as dismissed his claim for a TDIU.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case to obtain a new medical opinion regarding the Veteran's ischemic heart disease, as the previous opinions were found inadequate.
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