The Board has remanded the case for further examination and clarification regarding the Veteran's ability to work due to his service-connected disabilities, particularly diabetes mellitus type II and its associated peripheral neuropathy.
The deciding factor: The decision was remanded because the Board incorrectly relied on the Veteran's self-report at his hearing that arthritis of his hands caused him to give up his job as a mechanic. The Court found this reliance improper due to the Veteran's layperson status regarding medical findings.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus type II, arthritis of the hands, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, peripheral vascular disease of the lower extremities, left shoulder disability status post dislocation, low back strain, status post perianal abscess, fistulotomy, and hemorrhoids
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 3, 2023
- Citation
- 23025540
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 23025540.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew all his appeals, including the one for an increased rating for low back strain.
- 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.
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