The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and lung cancer, finding that the veteran's disabilities did not manifest during or within one year after his military service. The Board also concluded that there was no evidence to show that the veteran set foot in Vietnam, thus precluding presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure.
The deciding factor: The absence of objective evidence showing the onset of diabetes mellitus and lung cancer during service, combined with a long period without complaints or findings, reinforced the conclusion that these disabilities are not related to service. The veteran's entitlement to wear the Vietnam Service Medal did not establish actual presence in Vietnam for purposes of presumptive service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, lung cancer
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 17, 2006
- Citation
- 0601200
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his lung cancer was related to his service-connected melanoma.
- 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 right foot, left elbow, left hip, left ankle, and diabetes mellitus to obtain additional medical evidence.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of December 12, 2023, for a 50 percent evaluation of bipolar disorder and remanded the other issues for further development.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.