The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for diabetes mellitus, type II and coronary artery disease. The claims for bladder cancer, thyroid condition, and soft tissue sarcoma are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding exposure to herbicides during service.
The deciding factor: New evidence has established that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides during his service in Thailand, which is sufficient to grant presumptive service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and coronary artery disease. The claims for bladder cancer, thyroid condition, and soft tissue sarcoma are remanded as additional medical opinions are needed regarding their relationship to service.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, bladder cancer, thyroid condition, soft tissue sarcoma
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 29, 2019
- Citation
- 19182015
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 for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus to obtain further medical opinions regarding their potential relationship to toxic exposures during active service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for right foot, left elbow, left hip, left ankle, and diabetes mellitus to obtain additional medical evidence.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bladder cancer, finding it to be related to the Veteran's in-service herbicide exposure.
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