The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and bilateral lower extremity diabetic neuropathy due to an inadequate VA opinion.
The deciding factor: The October 2024 VA examiner's opinion was found to be inadequate as it failed to address lay evidence regarding the Veteran's inability to exercise due to his left knee disability, which could have contributed to developing or aggravating obesity. The Board also noted that these claims are inextricably intertwined with the development of the diabetes mellitus claim.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, claimed as secondary to distal patellar tendonitis with minimal tibia spine spur, left knee, left lower extremity diabetic neuropathy, right lower extremity diabetic neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 29, 2025
- Citation
- A25039057
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 hypertension and diabetes mellitus to obtain further medical opinions regarding their potential relationship to toxic exposures during active service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for right foot, left elbow, left hip, left ankle, and diabetes mellitus to obtain additional medical evidence.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for cervical spine condition, diabetes mellitus, heart condition, lumbar spine condition, and urinary frequency and voiding condition as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service incurrence or aggravation.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, right lower extremity diabetic neuropathy, and left lower extremity diabetic neuropathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected conditions.
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