The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that the veteran's exposure to Agent Orange during his tour in Korea is at least as likely as not (50 percent or greater probability). The secondary service connection claims for diabetic-related peripheral neuropathy and diabetic retinopathy are also granted.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the veteran served in a region where herbicide agents, including Agent Orange, were used during his tour of duty. As such, diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred due to exposure to these agents.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, diabetic-related peripheral neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy and cataracts
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 21, 2006
- Citation
- 0621599
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 0621599.
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 right foot, left elbow, left hip, left ankle, and diabetes mellitus to obtain additional medical evidence.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for cervical spine condition, diabetes mellitus, heart condition, lumbar spine condition, and urinary frequency and voiding condition as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service incurrence or aggravation.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded the claims for sinus disability, bilateral hip disability, right shoulder disability, hypertension, sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, skin disability, back disability, bilateral neurological disability of the upper extremities, and bilateral neurological disability of the lower extremities.
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