The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional examination and opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, excluding diabetes and bilateral leg peripheral neuropathy, render him in need of regular aid and attendance. The Veteran is currently receiving SMC under Subsection (l) based on the need for aid and attendance.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the medical evidence does not sufficiently delineate the functional loss attributed to each of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities that results in his need for aid and attendance, necessitating a remand for an addendum opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- post-surgical diarrhea with fecal incontinence, status-post gastrectomy, hiatal hernia and vagotomy, thoracolumbar scoliosis, bilateral leg peripheral neuropathy, bilateral cataracts with aphakia, diabetes, hypertension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 9, 2020
- Citation
- 20046047
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 20046047.
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 hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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