The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including type II diabetes mellitus and arteriosclerotic heart disease, have rendered him unemployable. Service connection for oropharyngeal cancer was denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service. Type II diabetes mellitus is presumed related to Agent Orange exposure in service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is presumed related to his military service, while service connection for oropharyngeal cancer cannot be granted as it is not among the conditions presumed to be associated with Agent Orange exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Oropharyngeal cancer, Type II diabetes mellitus
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- February 14, 2019
- Citation
- 19111899
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,341 · Granted: 33% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19111899.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, finding that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his service at Udorn RTAFB and thus meets the criteria for presumptive service connection.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, finding that his service-connected left ankle disability, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, left knee pain, left hip pain, and loss of use of the left big toe disabilities have caused him to become obese, which in turn led to his development of type II diabetes mellitus.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's eligibility for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) is being remanded due to insufficient evidence in the March 2025 decision. The Board requires a medical opinion from CEAT regarding the Veteran's need for personal care services and supervision.
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