The Board has granted an effective date of August 19, 2019 for the award of service connection for diabetes mellitus. The RO must now assign initial disability ratings for diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease), erectile dysfunction, and diabetic neuropathy of the lower extremities from August 19, 2019 to August 9, 2022. Effective dates prior to August 10, 2022, for service connection for these conditions are also remanded.
The deciding factor: The effective date of August 19, 2019 was granted based on the Veteran's original claim filing and continuous pursuit of his diabetes mellitus claim. The RO must now assign initial disability ratings for diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease), erectile dysfunction, and diabetic neuropathy of the lower extremities from August 19, 2019 to August 9, 2022.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease), erectile dysfunction, diabetic neuropathy of the right lower extremity, diabetic neuropathy of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 18, 2026
- Citation
- A26014983
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A26014983.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, visual impairment, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's claims were not granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection on the merits are being remanded due to new evidence and development needs. The maximum disability rating for tinnitus has already been assigned.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right lower extremity peripheral artery disease, left lower extremity peripheral artery disease, and hypertension as the evidence did not establish an in-service event or exposure to herbicide agents.
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