The Veteran's sleep apnea is being remanded for a new VA examination to determine if it is related to his service-connected ischemic heart disease or vascular dementia and PTSD. The thyroid cancer claim is also being remanded due to the need for an opinion on whether it is due to herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities and lower extremities are both being remanded for a VA examination to determine if they are related to his service-connected conditions or herbicide exposure. The thyroid cancer claim was previously denied based on presumptive exposure, but this decision is being remanded as well.,The Veteran's TDIU application prior to May 2017 is also being remanded due to the need for a determination of whether he qualifies for it given his other claims.
The deciding factor: The issues are being remanded because new evidence has been submitted and further examination or opinion may be needed to determine if there is a relationship between the Veteran's conditions and service.,The issues are being remanded due to the need for an expert medical opinion on whether the Veteran's thyroid cancer is related to herbicide exposure, as this claim was previously denied based on presumptive exposure but needs further review.,The issues are being remanded because a determination of TDIU eligibility requires consideration of all service-connected conditions and their impact on employment.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea, thyroid cancer, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20035373
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 20035373.
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 Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disease manifesting within one year after service and concluding that the current disability is not related to his in-service deviated septum.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran will be provided with a VA examination to determine if his current sleep disorder is related to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the issue of service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions and need for further development.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claims for sleep apnea and an increased disability rating for diabetes mellitus, type II.
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