The Veteran seeks service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD and anxiety disorder). The AOJ is directed to obtain the Veteran's Vet Center records and conduct any additional development deemed necessary.,The Veteran asserts that he has a heart disorder related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents or secondary to diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction. A VA examination is needed to determine the nature of the Veteran’s current heart disorders, including whether ischemic heart disease exists, and their relationship to service and/or his service-connected conditions.,The Veteran claims a prostate disorder related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The AOJ should obtain the Veteran's Vet Center records and conduct any additional development deemed necessary.,The Veteran asserts that he has urinary and bladder disorders secondary to diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction. A VA examination is needed to determine the nature of these conditions, including their relationship to service and/or his service-connected conditions.,The Veteran claims a bladder disorder related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The AOJ should obtain the Veteran's Vet Center records and conduct any additional development deemed necessary.
The deciding factor: Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD and anxiety disorder) is remanded as the Veteran has submitted recent Vet Center treatment records that need to be reviewed.,The Veteran’s heart disorders are related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents or secondary to diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction. A VA examination is needed to determine the nature of these conditions, including whether ischemic heart disease exists, and their relationship to service and/or his service-connected conditions.,The Veteran's prostate disorder is claimed as due to in-service herbicide exposure. The AOJ should obtain Vet Center records and conduct any additional development deemed necessary.,The Veteran’s urinary and bladder disorders are secondary to diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction. A VA examination is needed to determine the nature of these conditions, including their relationship to service and/or his service-connected conditions.,The Veteran's bladder disorder is claimed as due to in-service herbicide exposure. The AOJ should obtain Vet Center records and conduct any additional development deemed necessary.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, anxiety disorder, heart disorder, prostate disorder, urinary disorder, bladder disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 9, 2020
- Citation
- 20001483
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,676 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 20001483.
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 Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, visual impairment, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's claims were not granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection on the merits are being remanded due to new evidence and development needs. The maximum disability rating for tinnitus has already been assigned.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right lower extremity peripheral artery disease, left lower extremity peripheral artery disease, and hypertension as the evidence did not establish an in-service event or exposure to herbicide agents.
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