The Board denied service connection for a left knee disorder, but granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II (DM). The Veteran's left knee disorder is presumed to have been caused by herbicide exposure during his time in Thailand. His DM is presumed due to herbicide exposure while serving in the Republic of Vietnam.,The Board found that there was no evidence linking the Veteran's current left knee condition to service, but granted service connection for DM based on presumptive exposure to herbicides.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the Veteran's left knee disorder is not related to his time in-service and denied service connection. However, due to presumed exposure to herbicides during his service in Thailand, the Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee disorder, diabetes mellitus type II
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19164272
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 19164272.
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for PTSD, diabetes mellitus, type II, migraines, left and right knee disorders, and obstructive sleep apnea due to missing military records and inadequate examinations.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for coronary atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, and penile cancer as there was no evidence of a medical nexus between the Veteran's conditions and his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders to obtain a new examination that adequately addresses all pertinent evidence of record.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.