The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and herbicides (Agent Orange). The type II diabetes mellitus claim requires a VA medical opinion on whether it is as likely as not related to his presumed exposure. The kidney disease claim also needs clarification from a VA clinician regarding its relationship to the Veteran's service, including potential renal toxicity.
The deciding factor: The claims are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records to clarify the etiology of the Veteran's conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Kidney Disease / Renal Toxicity
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 4, 2021
- Citation
- 21067632
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 21067632.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Bilateral Lower Extremity Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (Sciatic Nerve), Erectile Dysfunction, and Bladder Cancer in remission. Effective dates have been set for these awards as of July 14, 2004. The Veteran's claim for higher initial disability ratings and earlier effective dates are being remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and type II diabetes mellitus due to a need for additional medical opinions regarding obesity as an intermediate step in causing or aggravating these conditions, and because of potential toxic exposure during service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for Type II Diabetes Mellitus has been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal before the Board could make a decision.
- Granted
The Veteran was granted a TDIU with a September 19, 2024 effective date based on his PTSD, emphysema, and COPD symptoms. His diabetes, tinnitus, and left ear hearing loss were not found to prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 19, 2024.
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