The Board finds that the Veteran's service in Vietnam did not involve duty or visitation, thus his in-service herbicide exposure cannot be presumed. The Veteran does not have a current lung disability or hypertension related to active service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran served on board U.S.S. UNION which was in official waters of the Republic of Vietnam but not within its borders. His service did not meet the regulatory definition of 'in-country' service in Vietnam, thus his in-service herbicide exposure cannot be presumed and he is not entitled to presumptive service connection for a lung disability or hypertension.
- Claimed conditions
- lung disability, hypertension
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 14, 2010
- Citation
- 1002367
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 1002367.
What this means for you
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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