The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during service, is granted for accrued benefits purposes. The non-service connected pension claim is denied as the Veteran does not meet the criteria for permanent and total disability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has a presumptively service-connected diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. However, he did not meet the requirements for non-service connected pension due to his age (he was over 65) and other disabilities preventing him from being considered permanently and totally disabled.
- Claimed conditions
- cardiomyopathy, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal insufficiency, GI reflux, empyema
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- May 5, 2017
- Citation
- 1714985
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 1714985.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, visual impairment, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's claims were not granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection on the merits are being remanded due to new evidence and development needs. The maximum disability rating for tinnitus has already been assigned.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right lower extremity peripheral artery disease, left lower extremity peripheral artery disease, and hypertension as the evidence did not establish an in-service event or exposure to herbicide agents.
- Granted
The Veteran's Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular Aid and Attendance is granted as of April 25, 2024.,For diabetes mellitus, a rating in excess of 20 percent is denied.
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