The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes and peripheral neuropathy due to exposure to herbicide agents in Korea. The Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted as secondary to his service-connected hearing loss.
The deciding factor: The evidence supports a finding that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his service-connected hearing loss, while further development is needed to determine if his diabetes and peripheral neuropathy are related to herbicide agent exposure in Korea.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, diabetes mellitus (diabetes), peripheral neuropathy, bilateral lower extremities (peripheral neuropathy)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 11, 2019
- Citation
- 19145017
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 remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of April 25, 2022, for the award of service connection for tinnitus and a 100 percent initial rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder.
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