The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including ischemic heart disease, diabetes, bladder cancer, renal cell carcinoma, and peripheral neuropathy. The development required includes verifying potential exposure to herbicides (Agent Orange) and non-ionizing radiation while serving at Clear Air Force Station in Alaska, as well as possible exposure to PFAS during periods of Active Duty for Training (ACDUTRA) at Fort Chaffee.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the previous remand directives were not substantially complied with, particularly regarding verification of herbicide exposure and non-ionizing radiation exposure. Additionally, new medical opinions are needed due to inadequate explanations in prior VA medical opinions.
- Claimed conditions
- ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, type II (diabetes), bladder cancer, renal cell carcinoma, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 10, 2023
- Citation
- 23008992
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 23008992.
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 service connection for a heart condition, including ischemic heart disease. The evidence did not support a finding of a current disability related to service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any related exposure.
- Granted
The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is granted as presumptively related to his service in the Gulf War, specifically aboard the USS Chanticleer and USS Mataco.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right lower extremity peripheral artery disease, left lower extremity peripheral artery disease, and hypertension as the evidence did not establish an in-service event or exposure to herbicide agents.
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