The Board has reopened the previously denied claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, as these new and material evidence raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims. Service connection is granted for diabetes mellitus type II due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.
The deciding factor: The appellant served in Vietnam and has been found presumptively exposed to herbicide agents, which includes Agent Orange. The new evidence supports a link between diabetes mellitus type II and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19177834
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 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 matter to correct a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error, specifically to verify the Veteran's assertion of herbicide exposure while working on C-123 aircraft at Clark Air Base from May 1965 to November 1966.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, right hip degenerative joint disease and rheumatoid arthritis with acetabular cyst status post right total hip replacement, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, hypertension, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, fever sores, and a compromised immune system, as the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.
- Granted
The Board granted earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection for various conditions associated with a stroke, including obstructive sleep apnea, depression, and diabetes mellitus type II.
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