The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, skin cancer (including Bowen's disease of the penis and probable squamous cell carcinoma of the left hand), and lupus with disorders of the chest, back, legs, and feet due to exposure to Agent Orange. The claims for increased rating for diabetes mellitus, service connection for hypertension, and service connection for an eye disorder are denied.
The deciding factor: The veteran's PTSD is presumed based on his combat experience in Vietnam, and skin cancer and lupus with related disorders of the chest, back, legs, and feet are presumed due to exposure to herbicides (Agent Orange).
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, lupus (claimed as skin disorders of the chest, back, legs and feet), skin cancer, hypertension, eye disorder (claimed as secondary to diabetes mellitus), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus (claimed as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 14, 2006
- Citation
- 0607282
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.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 21, 2021, for the grant of service connection for hypertension.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
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