The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus on a presumptive basis due to presumed exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. The cause of the veteran's death is also found to be related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, thus granting service connection for the cause of death. As DIC benefits are now granted, the claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is dismissed as moot.
The deciding factor: The veteran served in Vietnam and was exposed to herbicides during his service. His diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred due to this exposure. The cause of death, chronic renal failure due to diabetes mellitus, is also found to be related to the service-connected diabetes mellitus.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 5, 2004
- Citation
- 0403325
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 0403325.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 diabetes mellitus and bilateral knee strain to obtain additional medical opinions.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for hypertension, atherosclerosis, and diabetes mellitus; granted service connection for erectile dysfunction and skin cancer; and restored the 10 percent rating for hypertension.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and sleep apnea to obtain a TERA opinion due to the Veteran's participation in a toxic exposure risk activity during his service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations.
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