The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, and bilateral lower extremity diabetic neuropathy. The appeal regarding prostate cancer and hearing loss is remanded.
The deciding factor: Service connection was established based on herbicide exposure due to in-service observations of defoliant spraying and other exposures.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, type 2, ischemic heart disease (IHD), bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy secondary to diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 13, 2019
- Citation
- 19185224
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 various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for prostate cancer, related to in-service exposures at Camp Lejeune.
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