The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and a heart disability are reopened. The Board finds remand necessary to verify the Veteran's alleged exposure to herbicide agents in Germany and to obtain an examination to assess his right knee disability.
The deciding factor: Verification of the Veteran's claimed exposure to herbicides is required as it may affect presumptive service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and a heart disability. The right knee disability must be evaluated to determine its etiology.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, type II, heart disability, diabetic neuropathy, left upper extremity, diabetic neuropathy, right upper extremity, right knee disability
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 16, 2022
- Citation
- 22015157
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 22015157.
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 appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claims for sleep apnea and an increased disability rating for diabetes mellitus, type II.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD. The decision finds that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is proximately due to his service-connected PTSD.
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