The Veteran's death was due to liver failure, but the cause of his service-connected conditions is unclear. The Board finds that remand is necessary as the VA medical opinion did not adequately address the role of diabetes and other service-connected conditions in causing the Veteran's death.
The deciding factor: The VAMO failed to consider recent medical records from Northwestern Medicine which could provide insight into the cause of death.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), Prostate Cancer, Left Eye Disability, Diabetes Mellitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- November 15, 2022
- Citation
- 22063842
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 22063842.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's appeal was granted for various disabilities, including service connection for depressive disorder and increased evaluations for diabetic peripheral neuropathy affecting multiple nerve groups. A SMC based on need for aid and attendance was also awarded.
- Granted
The Veteran's hypertension and prostate cancer residuals (voiding dysfunction) have been granted increased ratings of 10 percent and 20 percent, respectively.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted SMC at the rate of 50% for his service-connected conditions from April 20, 2020 to June 7, 2021.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and diabetes are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine the etiology of these conditions.
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