The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and erectile dysfunction as secondary to diabetes mellitus type II are all granted due to herbicide exposure during service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides while stationed at Korat Royal Thai Air Base in Thailand, which is considered a burn pit exposure. The current diagnoses of coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus type II are presumed associated with such exposure. The erectile dysfunction is also linked to the service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.
- Claimed conditions
- coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2019
- Citation
- A19001959
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for coronary atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, and penile cancer as there was no evidence of a medical nexus between the Veteran's conditions and his military service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, type II, left eye diabetic retinopathy, left foot diabetic peripheral neuropathy, right foot diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and coronary artery disease, as well as the Veteran's cause of death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for coronary artery disease to correct duty to assist errors, as there are no adequate medical opinions of record.
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