The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and secondary service connection for hypertension, a heart condition, peritoneal neuropathy, retinal neuropathy, a bilateral foot condition, and erectile dysfunction (claimed as secondary to diabetes mellitus). The denial was based on the conclusion that the veteran's diabetes mellitus is not etiologically related to presumed herbicide exposure.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the preponderance of the competent and probative evidence of record indicates that the veteran's diabetes mellitus is caused by post-service prednisone treatment for non-service connected rheumatoid arthritis, rather than due to in-service herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 28, 2006
- Citation
- 0640057
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 0640057.
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 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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