The Veteran's claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus has been reopened due to new evidence. The claims for diabetic neuropathy and sleep apnea with COPD are being remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the diabetes mellitus claim.
The deciding factor: New medical evidence supports a finding of herbicide exposure, which could potentially establish service connection for type II diabetes mellitus on a presumptive basis. The claims for diabetic neuropathy and sleep apnea with COPD must be remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the diabetes mellitus claim.
- Claimed conditions
- type II diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, sleep apnea with COPD
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 24, 2020
- Citation
- 20042677
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 20042677.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a back disorder, high blood pressure, and type II diabetes mellitus due to errors in development of the claim.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected PTSD prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.,Given the grant of TDIU based on his service-connected PTSD, the Veteran has a single service-connected disability rated as total (PTSD) and additional service-connected disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent or more.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew all appeals regarding his service-connected conditions and related disability ratings, effective as of March 16, 2026.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, sinusitis, hypertension, and type II diabetes mellitus due to a lack of current diagnoses or evidence linking these conditions to his active-duty service.
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