The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent prior to September 5, 2019 and in excess of 20 percent from September 5, 2019 for right upper extremity polyneuropathy with right ulnar neuropathy is remanded due to the need for clarification regarding whether the right wrist contracture is a manifestation of the service-connected condition.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for heart disease, to include as due to in-service herbicide agent exposure, is remanded due to uncertainty about his diagnosis of ischemic heart disease and the need for an addendum opinion from a clinician who possesses experience in diagnosing cardiac disabilities.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for left upper extremity neuropathy, to include as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, left lower extremity neuropathy, to include as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, and right lower extremity neuropathy, to include as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, are remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion from a clinician who possesses experience in diagnosing peripheral neuropathies.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for left upper extremity neuropathy, to include as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, left lower extremity neuropathy, to include as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, and right lower extremity neuropathy, to include as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, are remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion from a clinician who possesses experience in diagnosing peripheral neuropathies.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for left upper extremity neuropathy, to include as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, left lower extremity neuropathy, to include as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, and right lower extremity neuropathy, to include as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, are remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion from a clinician who possesses experience in diagnosing peripheral neuropathies.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that further clarification is needed regarding whether the right wrist contracture is a manifestation of the service-connected condition.,The Board finds uncertainty about the Veteran's diagnosis of ischemic heart disease and requires an addendum opinion from a clinician who possesses experience in diagnosing cardiac disabilities to determine if he has this condition.,The Board finds inconsistencies in the record regarding the etiology of the Veteran’s peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities and requires an additional medical opinion to determine its cause.,The Board finds inconsistencies in the record regarding the etiology of the Veteran’s peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities and requires an additional medical opinion to determine its cause.,The Board finds inconsistencies in the record regarding the etiology of the Veteran’s peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities and requires an additional medical opinion to determine its cause.
- Claimed conditions
- right upper extremity polyneuropathy with right ulnar neuropathy, heart disease (ischemic heart disease), left upper extremity neuropathy, left lower extremity neuropathy, right lower extremity neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 24, 2020
- Citation
- 20055906
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 20055906.
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.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for left hip arthritis, right hip arthritis, type II diabetes, right lower extremity neuropathy, left lower extremity neuropathy, and sleep apnea as they have become service-connected in other rating decisions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including SMC based on loss of use of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, as well as rating increases for various neuropathies. The AOJ is instructed to obtain an adequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected conditions have manifested with the loss of use of his hands, legs, and feet.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for TDIU, left upper extremity neuropathy, and right shoulder rotator cuff strain has been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeals for a higher rating for left upper extremity neuropathy and right shoulder rotator cuff strain have been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for right shoulder rotator cuff strain has been dismissed.,A 20 percent rating is granted for right lower extremity radiculopathy.,A 20 percent rating is granted for left lower extremity radiculopathy.,The 40 percent rating for chronic lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease was reduced to 20 percent, and the reduction has been restored.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for SMC based on loss of use of the left upper extremity is remanded due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding her service-connected disabilities.
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