The Veteran's claim of service connection for diabetes was reopened due to new evidence received since the previous denial. Service connection is granted as the Veteran has been found exposed to herbicide agents during his service in Thailand and diabetes is presumed related to such exposure.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service records show he frequently serviced C-123 aircraft, which are known to have been used to spray herbicide agents during the Vietnam era. As a result, he was presumed to be exposed to herbicide agents during his service in Thailand.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, Type 2
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19156742
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 19156742.
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 the Veteran's claim for TDIU based on his service-connected diabetes and diabetic neuropathy, finding that these conditions render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic pancreatitis and diabetes mellitus, Type 2 as secondary to the chronic pancreatitis.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU as his disabilities are not sufficient to prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, left foot peripheral neuropathy, and right foot peripheral neuropathy due to inadequate rationale in the VA examination opinions. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities may have contributed to his obesity, which could be a factor in causing or aggravating his diabetes mellitus and sleep apnea.
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