The Board has granted service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic nephropathy, and ischemic heart disease as due to herbicide exposure. The issues of bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy secondary to diabetes mellitus and a pulmonary condition secondary to ischemic heart disease are remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service records do not definitively establish service in Vietnam or exposure to herbicides, but the Board finds that with resolution of doubt in favor of the Veteran, he was exposed to herbicides aboard C-123 aircraft during his TDY to Germany.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic lymphocytic leukemia, diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic nephropathy, ischemic heart disease
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 15, 2019
- Citation
- 19103052
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.
- Partly granted
The Board grants service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus began during his period of active duty service. The claims for ischemic heart disease, aortic valve replacement, status post aortic stenosis, and peripheral vascular disease with popliteal aneurysm are remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case to obtain a new medical opinion regarding the Veteran's ischemic heart disease, as the previous opinions were found inadequate.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter to correct a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error, specifically to verify the Veteran's assertion of herbicide exposure while working on C-123 aircraft at Clark Air Base from May 1965 to November 1966.
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