The Veteran's claims for service connection of a hernia, erectile dysfunction, stomach disability, and right eye disability are being remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions.,The temporary total evaluation based on hospital treatment in excess of 21 days for hernia removal is also being remanded.,The Veteran’s claim for service connection of erectile dysfunction as secondary to his back disability is being remanded.,The Veteran’s claim for service connection of a stomach disability as secondary to his back disability is being remanded.,The Veteran’s claim for service connection of a right eye disability as secondary to his back disability is being remanded.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his back disability and associated left lower radiculopathy are being remanded.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU is also being remanded due to its inextricability with the increased rating claim for his back disability.
The deciding factor: The VA examination opinions were inadequate, failing to address secondary theories of aggravation or causation. The claims are therefore being remanded for further development.,No additional evidence is needed as this is a procedural issue related to obtaining the appropriate authorization and records.,The Veteran's claim for service connection of erectile dysfunction was not adequately addressed by the VA examiner, who did not consider secondary theories of aggravation due to medication. The claims are being remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection of stomach disability was not adequately addressed by the VA examiner, who did not consider secondary theories of causation or aggravation due to medication. The claims are being remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection of right eye disability was not adequately addressed by the VA examiner, who did not consider secondary theories of causation or aggravation due to medication. The claims are being remanded.,The Veteran’s back disability and associated left lower radiculopathy require a more contemporaneous examination as the last one is temporally remote and does not indicate the current level of disability. The claims are being remanded for further development.,The TDIU claim is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claim for his back disability, so both must be remanded.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of a hernia, status-post hernia removal surgery, erectile dysfunction, stomach disability, right eye disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 4, 2021
- Citation
- 21006612
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 21006612.
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 Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
- 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 Board has found that the Veteran meets the basic medical eligibility criteria for PCAFC benefits due to his need for personal care services based on symptoms or residuals of neurological or other impairment or injury. However, further clinical evaluation is needed to determine if participation in the program is in the Veteran's best interest.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer, coronary artery disease (CAD), diabetes mellitus type II (DM II), hypertension, and erectile dysfunction as secondary to service-connected DM II. The Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange during active service is presumed.
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