The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus has been reopened, and the issue of entitlement to a compensable disability rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae, scar, right middle finger, third digit, residuals of left stab wounds to the thigh and buttock/ tender scar with limitation of flexion and pain on motion, rhinitis, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus type II (secondary to high blood pressure), retinopathy, hernia disability, chronic kidney disease (claimed as renal failure), arthritis of the right hand (variously claimed as arthritis of multiple joints), and testicular disability/ epididymitis is remanded for further development.
The deciding factor: The new evidence submitted includes post-service treatment reports that establish a current diagnosis related to service and a possible nexus, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus. The other issues are remanded as they involve secondary service connection claims and require additional development.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, pseudofolliculitis barbae, scar, right middle finger, third digit, residuals of left stab wounds to the thigh and buttock/ tender scar with limitation of flexion and pain on motion, rhinitis, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, type II (claimed as secondary to high blood pressure), retinopathy, hernia disability, chronic kidney disease (claimed as renal failure), arthritis of the right hand (variously claimed as arthritis of multiple joints), testicular disability/ epididymitis
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 28, 2023
- Citation
- 23024805
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 23024805.
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 service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, visual impairment, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's claims were not granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's rhinitis and gastric ulcer with hiatal hernia were evaluated, but the Board found that neither condition warranted a higher rating.,For rhinitis, the evidence did not show greater than 50 percent obstruction of both nasal passages or complete obstruction on one side. For gastric ulcer with hiatal hernia, symptoms were described as infrequent and mild.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection on the merits are being remanded due to new evidence and development needs. The maximum disability rating for tinnitus has already been assigned.
- 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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