The Board has determined that there was a duty to assist error in the May 2024 rating decision and has remanded the claims for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and providing an etiological opinion regarding the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide agent exposure.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion prior to the appeal was inadequate as it did not consider the total potential exposure through all applicable deployments and the combined effect of toxic exposure risk activities.
- Claimed conditions
- Peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity, Peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 13, 2024
- Citation
- A24083451
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 A24083451.
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 of service connection for peripheral neuropathy, left and right lower extremities due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is rated at 10 percent.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy in all extremities is being remanded for further evaluation and potential rescheduling of VA examinations.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal for a higher level of special monthly compensation (SMC) was denied as he is already in receipt of the maximum SMC rate due to his service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and PTSD/MDD at 60% or more.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than November 8, 2022 and for a higher initial disability rating for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity due to inconsistencies in the medical records and need for retrospective opinions.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.