The Veteran's type 2 diabetes and kidney disease are presumed due to herbicide exposure. The Board has determined that hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left foot/ankle disorder, and right foot/ankle disorder may be related to service but requires additional medical evidence for a determination.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hypertension is not definitively linked to his in-service noise exposure due to the lack of definitive nexus opinion. The other conditions are presumed based on herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- type 2 diabetes, kidney disease
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 5, 2021
- Citation
- 21067727
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 21067727.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease are being remanded due to the need for VA examinations to determine if these conditions are related to his exposure to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune during service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for heart disease, hypertension, kidney disease, and low back pain due to potential errors in duty to assist. The AOJ is required to verify the Veteran's alleged exposure to herbicide agents and obtain private treatment records.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and kidney disease, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The decision also remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding the Veteran's exposure to mercury in dental amalgams and asbestos during service. A VA medical opinion is needed to determine if these exposures are related to his claimed disabilities.
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