The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to exposure to herbicide agents. The case is being returned for further development as the prior October 2018 remand directives had an incorrect standard when assessing whether the Veteran’s peripheral neuropathy was caused or aggravated by his diabetes mellitus.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the prior remand directives used an incorrect standard, specifically including the phrase 'permanently aggravated,' which is not required. The case is being returned for further development to determine if the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities were caused or aggravated by his diabetes mellitus.
- Claimed conditions
- Peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, Peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 22, 2021
- Citation
- 21003684
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 21003684.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's current peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities was incurred during his period of active service, including exposure to herbicides in the Republic of Vietnam. The Board granted service connection for this condition.
- Denied
The appeal regarding the July 2, 2020 rating decision for PTSD was denied. The claims of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities were also denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and the need for additional medical opinions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of both upper and lower extremities due to a need for further clarity on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's conditions.
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