The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, left foot pes planus, and right foot pes planus due to a pre-decisional error in not obtaining an adequate medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's PTSD caused or aggravated his diabetes. The VA examiner is also asked to determine if the Veteran's bilateral pes planus was clearly and unmistakably not worsened during service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence did not include a proper medical opinion addressing the issue of secondary service connection for diabetes due to PTSD, which violated the pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus type II, left foot pes planus, right foot pes planus
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 18, 2022
- Citation
- A22021043
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 A22021043.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic nephropathy, and prostate cancer. The issues of entitlement to special monthly compensation based on housebound status and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) are remanded.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction, which is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II and panic disorder with insomnia. The decision finds that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the erectile dysfunction was caused by these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claim for service connection of a bilateral foot condition due to lack of STRs and need for further examination.
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