The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, CAD, hypertension, diabetic retinopathy, and trigger finger repair of the right thumb due to a lack of evidence showing exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. The Veteran's service records indicate he served aboard the USS Kitty Hawk but did not provide sufficient evidence that he was present on landmass or inland waters of Vietnam.
The deciding factor: The Veteran failed to establish actual duty or visitation within the borders of the Republic of Vietnam, thus precluding application of the herbicide exposure presumption for diabetes mellitus and CAD.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease (CAD), hypertension, diabetic retinopathy, trigger finger repair of the right thumb
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 3, 2013
- Citation
- 1314733
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 1314733.
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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