The Board remands the issues of entitlement to an increased initial rating for diabetic neuropathy of the left upper extremity and entitlement to a TDIU, to include consideration of entitlement to SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s), as further development is needed.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that the prior remand directives were not fully addressed, and further evidence is needed to determine the current nature and severity of the Veteran's left upper extremity diabetic neuropathy.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetic neuropathy of the left upper extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 4, 2025
- Citation
- 25004640
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 remands the claims for service connection for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, and diabetic neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities due to a need for clarification regarding the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus and related conditions, including diabetic neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, retinopathy, and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), based on herbicide exposure during service.
- Partly granted
The veteran's appeal resulted in a mixed decision. Some ratings were granted, such as a 30 percent rating for anemia secondary to diabetes mellitus and increased ratings for diabetic neuropathy. However, other claims, including higher ratings for diabetes mellitus and earlier effective dates for service connection, were denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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