The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for further investigation into his exposure to herbicide agents in Guam.
The deciding factor: VA has not verified whether herbicide agents were used in Guam during the Veteran's service, which is necessary to support his claim of presumptive service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- heart disease, coronary artery disease (CAD), diabetes mellitus, type II (DM), left upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, erectile dysfunction (ED)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19179964
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 Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for left foot bursitis and coronary artery disease, as well as special monthly compensation based on housebound status.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for right foot, left elbow, left hip, left ankle, and diabetes mellitus to obtain additional medical evidence.
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