The Veteran's diabetes is related to exposure to herbicides during service in Korea and service connection for this condition is granted. The Board also found that the Veteran has a nerve condition, skin cancer, fibromyalgia, arthritis, hearing loss, tinnitus, and a psychiatric disorder (PTSD, depression, or anxiety) that are presumed to be related to his exposure to herbicides during service in Korea.
The deciding factor: The Veteran served in Korea with duties placing him at or near the DMZ where he was exposed to herbicides. The Board found this exposure sufficient to presume diabetes and other conditions due to herbicide exposure, thus granting service connection for these conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes, nerve condition, skin cancer, fibromyalgia, arthritis, hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19183720
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,199 · Granted: 25% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19183720.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines was reopened due to new evidence. Service connection is granted for painful scars, but the rating assigned remains at 10 percent. The claims for fibromyalgia and bilateral shoulder disability are denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
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