The Veteran's claim of service connection for lymphedema and Type 2 diabetes mellitus was reopened due to the submission of new evidence. However, both conditions were denied as there is no credible evidence linking them to his military service.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence showing a link between the Veteran's current conditions and his active service.
- Claimed conditions
- lymphedema, Type 2 diabetes mellitus
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19119856
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 631 · Granted: 21% (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 19119856.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lymphedema, which may be related to Agent Orange exposure or service-connected conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher level of SMC was denied as the Board found that he is already in receipt of SMC at the (l) rate based on need for regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease with congestive heart failure. A second award of SMC at the (l) rate based on need for regular aid and attendance was not warranted.
- Granted
The Board vacates the September 2022 decision denying service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus due to the passage of the PACT Act, which expanded presumptive exposure to herbicides. The Veteran's service was not found to be in offshore Vietnam or any other location where herbicide exposure is presumed. As a result, his claim for service connection cannot be substantiated.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal is remanded due to new evidence submitted after the initial decision, which includes private dermatologist treatment records diagnosing lymphedema. The VA examiner's opinion prior to this submission was deemed inadequate.
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