The veteran's claim for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus as a residual of Agent Orange exposure during service is denied. The Board found that the veteran did not have active military service in the Republic of Vietnam and thus was not exposed to Agent Orange, making it impossible to grant presumptive service connection. The veteran's claim for PTSD is also denied due to lack of credible supporting evidence.
The deciding factor: The veteran served aboard a destroyer in waters off the shore of the Republic of Vietnam but did not visit port in Vietnam. There is no evidence showing actual exposure to Agent Orange during service, and thus presumptive service connection cannot be granted. The claim for PTSD was denied as there is insufficient credible supporting evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- type 2 diabetes mellitus, amputation of right foot, alcohol dependence, personality disorder
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 11, 2005
- Citation
- 0500732
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 0500732.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
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 major depression, personality disorder, and severe anxiety due to an inadequate VA examination and opinion.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeals for earlier effective dates related to various left and right hip, knee, shoulder, and other conditions as they were freestanding claims not continuously pursued from the initial rating decisions.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for prostatitis, HIV, CHF, GERD, herpes, a pulmonary disability, headaches, and type 2 diabetes mellitus as the evidence did not support a finding of a current disability or a nexus to service or a service-connected disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus, colon cancer, and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss to secure additional evidence.
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