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Remanded (sent back)PACT Act

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for further development, including obtaining a TERA examination and ensuring all outstanding records are obtained. The focus is on determining if the Veteran's diabetes mellitus is related to his military service, specifically participation in Operation Watch Dog.

The deciding factor: The decision requires a toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) examination due to the PACT Act requirements for veterans exposed to Agent Orange during military service.

Claimed conditions
type II diabetes mellitus
How they argued it
Presumptive (no nexus needed)
Exposure basis
Agent Orange / herbicides
Rating assigned
None in this decision
Decision date
January 9, 2024
Citation
24001520

Veterans Law Judge

J.W. ZISSIMOS

Decisions by this judge: 1,612 · Granted: 16% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)

Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.

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 24001520.

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.

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