The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current heart disorder and diabetes mellitus and his service, specifically exposure to ionizing radiation during active duty.
The deciding factor: The opinion provided by Dr. Stewart is not sufficient to support a nexus claim as it does not discuss the specific exposure of in-service ionizing radiation or provide a rationale for how this exposure caused the Veteran's current conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Heart Disorder, Diabetes Mellitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 29, 2020
- Citation
- 20036976
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 20036976.
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 appeal was granted for various disabilities, including service connection for depressive disorder and increased evaluations for diabetic peripheral neuropathy affecting multiple nerve groups. A SMC based on need for aid and attendance was also awarded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and diabetes are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine the etiology of these conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's initial PCAFC application was granted in December 2022, effective from December 21, 2022. The Board found that the criteria for eligibility were met since his initial application in December 2020.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the service connection claims for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Heart Disorder due to a duty to assist error in obtaining opinions regarding whether these conditions are aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.
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