The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including coronary artery disease and unspecified depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder, have been granted. The remaining issues are either denied or remanded.
The deciding factor: Service connection is established based on the presumption of exposure to herbicide agents due to service in Vietnam, without requiring proof of an in-service stressor for PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- Coronary artery disease, Unspecified depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder, Fatigue, Nightmares, Muscle pain in right shoulder, Muscle pain in left shoulder, Right-arm muscle pain, Left-arm muscle pain, Muscle pain in right upper leg, Muscle pain in left upper leg, Blurred eyesight, Hearing loss, Obstructive sleep apnea, High blood pressure, Erectile dysfunction, Diabetes, Headaches
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19105640
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 granted an effective date of May 29, 2019 for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder but denied earlier effective dates and increased ratings for other conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, asthma/lung disease, vision disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, leukocytosis, kidney disease/kidney stones, enlarged prostate, sleep apnea, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbar spine disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disability, headaches, a back disability, heart disability, and residuals of a stroke, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active service or caused by his service-connected left ear disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, chronic rhinitis, and obstructive sleep apnea. The headache claim was remanded for further examination.
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