The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of both feet due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding toxic exposure risk activities (TERA) related to the Veteran's military occupational specialty as a military police officer.
The deciding factor: The August 2023 VA examiner's opinion was found inadequate due to unknown details about the route and type of TERA exposure, necessitating further development for a more comprehensive medical opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- Diabetes mellitus, Peripheral neuropathy of the left foot, Peripheral neuropathy of the right foot
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 11, 2025
- Citation
- A25022394
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 is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the R(1) rate due to his need for regular aid and attendance.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, finding no evidence that his death was related to any injury or disease in service, including exposure to herbicide agents.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus, as the evidence did not support the need for insulin or episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring hospitalization.
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