The Board remands the claims for further development and to obtain additional evidence, including VA treatment records, Vet Center records, and a TERA examination under the PACT Act.
The deciding factor: The record is unclear as to whether the Veteran has peripheral neuropathy as a complication of diabetes mellitus, and there are outstanding relevant VA treatment records that need to be obtained. Additionally, the Board must correct duty to assist errors related to secondary service connection theories for obstructive sleep apnea and GERD.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, asthma (claimed as respiratory condition/difficulties), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), blackout spells/episodes, skin condition (now claimed as skin sores in summer months), obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss disability, other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 4, 2025
- Citation
- A25031406
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 Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 21, 2021, for the grant of service connection for hypertension.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and pernicious anemia, and the Board dismissed both appeals.
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