The Board denied service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, diabetes mellitus, neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities, hypertension, and a chronic condition manifested by memory loss and syncope as the evidence did not establish exposure to herbicides during service or a causal relationship between these conditions and military service.
The deciding factor: The Board found no credible evidence of herbicide exposure during service and insufficient medical opinion linking the disabilities to service.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic lymphocytic leukemia, diabetes mellitus, neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities, hypertension, a chronic condition manifested by memory loss and syncope
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19185071
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for headaches and increased ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, and left and right leg restless leg syndrome. The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder.
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