The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, and incontinence due to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides during his service in Thailand and Vietnam. The conditions are presumed as they fall under the VA policy recognizing herbicide exposure at military bases like Don Muang RTAFB.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides during his service in Thailand and Vietnam, which is sufficient for presumptive service connection based on VA policy.
- Claimed conditions
- ischemic heart disease (IHD), diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, incontinence
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 30, 2019
- Citation
- 19107355
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 various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for prostate cancer, related to in-service exposures at Camp Lejeune.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction due to an inadequate VA opinion regarding its etiology.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including sinusitis, elbows condition, cervical condition, erectile dysfunction, kidney condition, sleep apnea, wrists condition, asthma, shoulders condition, ankles condition, eye condition (bilateral dry macular degeneration), peripheral vascular disease (heart condition), and rhinitis.
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