The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, and bilateral knee disorders as further development is needed to address pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
The deciding factor: The August 2023 VA examiner did not provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, manifested within one year of his separation from service. Additionally, the examiner's opinion regarding the bilateral knee disorder was based on an incomplete factual history and did not address the Veteran's lay statements of having continued knee pain since military service.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, type II, left knee disorder, right knee disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 22, 2025
- Citation
- A25046308
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.
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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.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for PTSD, diabetes mellitus, type II, migraines, left and right knee disorders, and obstructive sleep apnea due to missing military records and inadequate examinations.
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