The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus type I may not be presumed to have been incurred or aggravated by service due to herbicide exposure, and thus denied the claim.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that it was less likely than not that the veteran's DM was related to service on the basis of herbicides exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Diabetes Mellitus Type I
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 5, 2008
- Citation
- 0838204
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 0838204.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating of his service-connected Diabetes Mellitus Type I with erectile dysfunction is dismissed because the Veteran did not identify a specific decision he disagrees with in his Notice of Disagreement.
- Granted
The Veteran's initial rating for diabetes mellitus type I was granted at a 20% level prior to April 1, 2016. From April 1, 2016 through September 28, 2016, the Veteran received an increased rating of 60%. The Board determined that this increase in rating is appropriate based on the evidence showing episodes of hypoglycemia requiring hospitalization and complications such as renal and ophthalmic issues.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type I, left leg amputation, and right leg amputation as they are not shown to have been incurred during a period of active service or active duty for training (ACDUTRA). The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are REMANDED.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus type I was denied prior to June 29, 2015. From June 29, 2015 to June 29, 2016, the Veteran received a 60% disability rating due to severe hypoglycemic episodes requiring hospitalization. After this period, the Veteran's diabetes was rated at 40%.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.