The Veteran's death was caused by complications from his diabetes, which is presumed to be due to his Vietnam service. The Board finds that the Veteran's diabetes contributed substantially to his death.
The deciding factor: Diabetes mellitus was found to be a presumptive condition based on the Veteran's Vietnam service and herbicide exposure, and it was determined that the macrovascular disease (including ischemic ulcers) caused by diabetes contributed to the Veteran's death.
- Claimed conditions
- Type II diabetes mellitus, Ischemic ulcers, Peripheral vascular disease with ischemic ulcers, Aortic bypass for ischemic ulcers
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 22, 2013
- Citation
- 1309828
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 1309828.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, finding that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his service at Udorn RTAFB and thus meets the criteria for presumptive service connection.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, finding that his service-connected left ankle disability, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, left knee pain, left hip pain, and loss of use of the left big toe disabilities have caused him to become obese, which in turn led to his development of type II diabetes mellitus.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's eligibility for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) is being remanded due to insufficient evidence in the March 2025 decision. The Board requires a medical opinion from CEAT regarding the Veteran's need for personal care services and supervision.
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