The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss has been reopened, but the evidence does not support a grant of service connection. The claims for prostate cancer and bilateral upper extremity vascular disorders are denied as there is no credible evidence to support the Veteran's exposure to herbicides during his service at Fort Gordon. CAD was granted 100% rating effective April 1, 2015, but the claim for a higher evaluation prior to that date remains pending. The claims for supraventricular arrhythmia and migraine headaches are denied. The Veteran's chronic otitis externa is not compensable. SMC at housebound rate was granted on April 1, 2015. TDIU was granted prior to December 29, 2014.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support the Veteran’s exposure to herbicides during his service at Fort Gordon and there is no credible evidence to support his claim of prostate cancer or bilateral upper extremity vascular disorders related to service. The claims for supraventricular arrhythmia and migraine headaches are denied as they do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.
- Claimed conditions
- left ear hearing loss, prostate cancer, left upper extremity vascular disorder, right upper extremity vascular disorder, coronary artery disease (CAD)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- September 6, 2019
- Citation
- 19169265
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 19169265.
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 Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for onychomycosis was denied as the condition did not require treatment and covered less than 5% of his body. The Board also remanded issues regarding service connection for left ear hearing loss and entitlement to a compensable disability rating for right ear hearing loss.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, visual impairment, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's claims were not granted.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, bone cancer, and lymph node cancer has been granted. The prostate cancer is presumed due to herbicide agent exposure during service at RTAFB Takhli. Bone cancer is secondary to the service-connected prostate cancer. Lymph node cancer is also considered secondary to prostate cancer.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right lower extremity peripheral artery disease, left lower extremity peripheral artery disease, and hypertension as the evidence did not establish an in-service event or exposure to herbicide agents.
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