The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus, Type II, was not due to disease or injury incurred in service and could not be presumed to have been caused by exposure to herbicides (Agent Orange). As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.
The deciding factor: There is no competent evidence showing that the veteran's period of military service involved duty or visitation in the Republic of Vietnam where he may have been exposed to Agent Orange. Additionally, there is no medical evidence linking his current diabetes mellitus to his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, Type II
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 20, 2006
- Citation
- 0621289
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,613 · Granted: 30% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0621289.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The appeals for service connection on four separate conditions (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, kidney disease, and right knee replacement) have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since June 2, 2017. The Board has decided that he is entitled to a TDIU effective from that date.
- Granted
The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, Type II is granted as secondary to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, Type II and related peripheral neuropathies as well as erectile dysfunction and coronary artery disease due to in-service exposure to toxic substances. The AOJ is required to verify whether the USS Suribachi was a brown water ship known to transport Agent Orange and obtain a VA examination to determine if these conditions are related to service.
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