The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions regarding his disabilities. The issues of entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 50 percent for unspecified depressive disorder with secondary other substance abuse disorder, service connection for a lumbar spine disability, bilateral wrist disability, bilateral hand disability, bilateral hip disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral ankle disability, and diabetes mellitus, type II are all remanded.
The deciding factor: The claims are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions regarding the Veteran's disabilities. The issues of service connection have been raised by the Veteran's assertions and require further evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- obesity, unspecified depressive disorder with secondary other substance abuse disorder (claimed as depression, acquired psychiatric disorder to include schizophrenia, cocaine, cannabis, and tobacco abuse), lumbar spine disability (claimed as lower back pain secondary to arthritis), bilateral wrist disability (claimed as arthritis), bilateral hand disability (claimed as arthritis), bilateral hip disability (claimed as arthritis), bilateral knee disability (claimed as arthritis), bilateral ankle disability (claimed as arthritis), diabetes mellitus, type II
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 13, 2022
- Citation
- 22039951
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 22039951.
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 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.
- Granted
The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is granted on a secondary basis with obesity serving as an intermediate step due to service-connected low back disability, sciatica, and right shoulder disabilities.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and left arm tremors. Service connection for right hand tremors is also granted. The Veteran's tinnitus claim was denied as there is no current diagnosis of tinnitus.
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