The Board remands the claims for service connection for low back disability, diabetes mellitus type II, and peripheral neuropathy of both upper and lower extremities to correct duty to assist errors related to the Veteran's reported toxic exposure at Fort McClellan.
The deciding factor: Remand is required due to a duty to assist error that occurred prior to the decision on appeal, specifically regarding the verification of the Veteran's reported toxic exposure at Fort McClellan and obtaining VA examinations with corresponding etiological opinions for the claimed issues.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back disability (mild degenerative changes, lumbar spine and/or back condition), Diabetes mellitus type II, Peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity, Peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity, Peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity, Peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 13, 2025
- Citation
- A25042789
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 diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension, to include as secondary to left orchiectomy, for further development in accordance with the PACT Act.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the petitions to reopen claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and a right wrist condition due to the withdrawal of the appeals by the Veteran's attorney.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, finding no evidence that the Veteran's diabetes resulted from her active military service or was caused by her service-connected hypertension.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for persistent depressive disorder and diabetes mellitus type II, granted an increased rating of 10 percent for hypertension, and granted an increased rating of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss. The Board also remanded service connection for cardiac arrhythmia.
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