The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims for service connection for prostate cancer, CAD, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The claims are now considered reopened due to new evidence received since the final November 2015 rating decision. Service connection is granted on a presumptive basis as the diseases are associated with exposure to herbicide agents during service in Thailand.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current diagnoses of prostate cancer, CAD, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) are associated with exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Thailand. The Board found that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran was regularly on or near the perimeter of his base in Thailand, allowing for presumptive service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- prostate cancer, CAD (ischemic heart disease), an acquired psychiatric disorder
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 24, 2019
- Citation
- 19174494
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 19174494.
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 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer but remanded the claim for PTSD due to insufficient verification of stressor incidents.
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