The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, erectile dysfunction, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and frequent urination and leakage as secondary to the now service-connected diabetes mellitus. The decision is based on presumptive exposure to herbicide agents during service in Thailand.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during service at the U-Tapao Air Force Base in Thailand, which is recognized for herbicide use during the Vietnam Era. As diabetes mellitus is presumed to be associated with such exposure, and the Veteran's symptoms are secondary to his now service-connected diabetes mellitus, the Board granted service connection on a presumptive basis.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus type II, erectile dysfunction, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, frequent urination and leakage
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19175638
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 remands the claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction due to an inadequate VA opinion regarding its etiology.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including sinusitis, elbows condition, cervical condition, erectile dysfunction, kidney condition, sleep apnea, wrists condition, asthma, shoulders condition, ankles condition, eye condition (bilateral dry macular degeneration), peripheral vascular disease (heart condition), and rhinitis.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 50 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and denied increased ratings for right shoulder impingement syndrome, hearing loss, painful scar, patellofemoral pain syndromes of the knees, and other conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a head injury, headache disorder, erectile dysfunction, left earache disorder, chronic fatigue, right shoulder disorder, irritable bowel syndrome, right foot disorder, GERD, and left shoulder disorder, as the evidence did not support current diagnoses of these conditions.
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