The Board has found that remand is warranted for an examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and associated complications, including onychomycosis and stasis dermatitis. The earlier effective date claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus is also remanded due to a need to address the Veteran's allegation regarding clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in the assignment of an effective date of September 13, 2007.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was insufficient evidence to determine whether the Veteran had recurrent skin infections related to his diabetes mellitus, which were characterized as onychomycosis and stasis dermatitis. Additionally, the earlier effective date claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus requires a determination of whether CUE exists in the assignment of an effective date of September 13, 2007.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, onychomycosis, stasis dermatitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 2, 2020
- Citation
- 20058156
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 20058156.
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 Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for onychomycosis was denied as the condition did not require treatment and covered less than 5% of his body. The Board also remanded issues regarding service connection for left ear hearing loss and entitlement to a compensable disability rating for right ear hearing loss.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, visual impairment, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's claims were not granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection on the merits are being remanded due to new evidence and development needs. The maximum disability rating for tinnitus has already been assigned.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right lower extremity peripheral artery disease, left lower extremity peripheral artery disease, and hypertension as the evidence did not establish an in-service event or exposure to herbicide agents.
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