The Veteran's claims for service connection for Type 2 diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral hands and feet are remanded due to potential exposure to herbicides during his military service. Additional development is needed, including obtaining deck logs from his ships and any outstanding VA or private medical records.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service on the USS Goldsborough and USS Piedmont may have been within the 12 nautical mile territorial sea of Vietnam, which could entitle him to the presumption of herbicide agent exposure. Further, additional medical evidence is needed to determine if his Type 2 diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy are related to his service.
- Claimed conditions
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus, Peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral hands, Peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral feet
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 8, 2020
- Citation
- 20001701
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.
- Dismissed
The appeals for service connection for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, carotid disease, chronic kidney disease, COPD, and type 2 diabetes mellitus are dismissed as moot.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to type 2 diabetes mellitus, a presumptive disability based on herbicide exposure, and also granted service-connected burial benefits.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for Type 2 diabetes mellitus based on the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his active duty in Vietnam.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right and left knee disabilities, tinnitus, and hypertension. Type 2 diabetes mellitus was denied, as were claims for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and gout. Rheumatoid arthritis and a back disability are also being remanded.
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