The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease, obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and major depressive disorder due to possible exposure to herbicide defoliants while serving on Guam. The case is returned to the AOJ for further action.
The deciding factor: The Joint Motion for Remand (JMR) instructed the Board to obtain verification of the Veteran’s service in Guam and to seek medical opinions regarding any possible relationship between exposure to TCE and the development of these conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- arteriosclerotic heart disease (AHSD), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), diabetes mellitus, type II (DM), hypertension (HTN), erectile dysfunction (ED), major depressive disorder (MDD)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 19, 2020
- Citation
- 20020575
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 20020575.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's OSA is granted as service connected. The Veteran's infectious disease claim and stomach disability claim are remanded for further examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records and authorization for private treatment providers. The issues include heart disorder, OSA, sinusitis, lumbar spine disorder, and right knee disorder all related to Agent Orange exposure.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with persistent depressive disorder and insomnia.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeals regarding service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and gastroesophageal reflux disease due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.
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