The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to exposure to Agent Orange, as well as secondary service connection for hypertension, diabetic retinopathy, and lack of blood flow to the lower extremities. The Veteran's reported exposure in Guam is being verified, and a VA examination will be scheduled to determine the etiology of his diabetes and coronary artery disease.
The deciding factor: The Board found that verifying the Veteran's reported exposure to Agent Orange while stationed in Guam was necessary before making a determination on the service connection claims.
- Claimed conditions
- type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetic retinopathy, lack of blood flow to the left lower extremity, lack of blood flow to the right lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 2, 2021
- Citation
- 21072011
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 21072011.
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 Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
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