The Veteran's claims for service connection for left upper extremity and right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, as well as diabetes mellitus (DM), are denied. The Board is remanding the claims of service connection for DM, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to duty or visitation in Vietnam.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for DM is also remanded because there is no medical opinion addressing whether his DM is related to herbicide exposure during service.
The deciding factor: There is no current evidence of diagnosed upper extremity peripheral neuropathy or diabetes mellitus (DM) in the Veteran's records. The VA examiner found that the currently diagnosed DM was less likely than not caused by toxic exposure risk activity, and there are no medical opinions addressing herbicide exposure.,The Board finds a pre-decisional duty to assist error due to the lack of an adequate opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's DM and his claimed herbicide exposure in service.
- Claimed conditions
- left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, diabetes mellitus (DM), left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 4, 2024
- Citation
- A24080376
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 A24080376.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular Aid and Attendance is granted as of April 25, 2024.,For diabetes mellitus, a rating in excess of 20 percent is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding the Veteran's exposure to mercury in dental amalgams and asbestos during service. A VA medical opinion is needed to determine if these exposures are related to his claimed disabilities.
- Dismissed
The appeal concerning earlier effective dates for service connection and disability ratings has been dismissed.,No new evidence or arguments were provided to support the claims.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The Board finds the evidence insufficient to grant service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy, erectile dysfunction, prostate condition, headaches, IBS, behavioral neurology conditions, and acquired psychological condition due to exposure at Camp Lejeune.
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