The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus type II due to herbicide exposure, and glaucoma as secondary to diabetes are all denied. The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure in the Republic of Vietnam and thus could not grant presumptive service connection based on Agent Orange exposure. Diabetes was not present during service or within one year after discharge, and there is no medical evidence linking it to service. Glaucoma was also not shown to be related to diabetes mellitus.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service records do not show any herbicide exposure in the Republic of Vietnam, which is required for presumptive service connection based on Agent Orange exposure. Diabetes was not diagnosed until after discharge and there is no medical evidence linking it to service or to glaucoma as secondary to diabetes.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disorder (to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, mood disorder, and adjustment disorder), Diabetes mellitus, type II, Glaucoma
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 15, 2013
- Citation
- 1337425
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 1337425.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected glaucoma has rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment on an extra-schedular basis, effective September 1, 2020.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding the lack of development related to Agent Orange exposure and solvent/asbestos exposure.
- Granted
The Board has granted effective dates of August 10, 2022 for hypertension and July 25, 2023 for diabetes mellitus, type II, bilateral lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, a bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus.,The Veteran's conditions were found to have manifested no later than the dates specified in their respective effective dates.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for glaucoma due to inadequate development and reasoning in the previous decision.
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