The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and granted it on a presumptive basis due to exposure in Vietnam. The Veteran set foot within the land borders of Vietnam, which is presumed to have been exposed to herbicide agents.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's military records show he served aboard USS Valley Forge during the Vietnam era and had duty or visitation to Da Nang, Vietnam as a parachute rigger. His fellow serviceman provided supporting testimony that the Veteran set foot in Vietnam. As such, his exposure is presumed due to service in Vietnam.
- Claimed conditions
- Type II Diabetes Mellitus
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 29, 2013
- Citation
- 1339255
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 1339255.
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, Bilateral Lower Extremity Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (Sciatic Nerve), Erectile Dysfunction, and Bladder Cancer in remission. Effective dates have been set for these awards as of July 14, 2004. The Veteran's claim for higher initial disability ratings and earlier effective dates are being remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and type II diabetes mellitus due to a need for additional medical opinions regarding obesity as an intermediate step in causing or aggravating these conditions, and because of potential toxic exposure during service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for Type II Diabetes Mellitus has been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal before the Board could make a decision.
- Granted
The Veteran was granted a TDIU with a September 19, 2024 effective date based on his PTSD, emphysema, and COPD symptoms. His diabetes, tinnitus, and left ear hearing loss were not found to prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 19, 2024.
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