The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings and service connection due to inconsistencies in VA examination reports and the need for updated treatment records. The Veteran is also required to provide authorization for any private treatment records related to diabetes.
The deciding factor: Inconsistencies in previous VA examinations regarding nerve involvement have been identified, necessitating a new examination to clarify the current severity of the peripheral neuropathy disability. Additionally, there are outstanding medical questions regarding the presence and etiology of an eye condition and skin condition secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, type II, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, eye condition other than diabetic retinopathy (epiphora), skin condition
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 18, 2023
- Citation
- 23066609
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 23066609.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- 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.
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