The Veteran's ischemic heart disease, type II diabetes mellitus, squamous cell carcinoma of the left upper lung, and cellulitis (also diagnosed as necrobiosis lipoidica) are granted on a substitution basis due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service. The skin condition is also granted secondary to his service-connected diabetes.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current diagnoses were found to be related to presumed exposure to herbicide agents and the Veteran set foot in Vietnam, qualifying for presumptive service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- ischemic heart disease, type II diabetes mellitus, squamous cell carcinoma of the left upper lung, cellulitis (also diagnosed as necrobiosis lipoidica)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19186979
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.
- Partly granted
The Board grants service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus began during his period of active duty service. The claims for ischemic heart disease, aortic valve replacement, status post aortic stenosis, and peripheral vascular disease with popliteal aneurysm are remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for type II diabetes mellitus to address a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding VA not requesting private treatment records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case to obtain a new medical opinion regarding the Veteran's ischemic heart disease, as the previous opinions were found inadequate.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter of entitlement to service connection for type II diabetes mellitus due to a need for an additional medical opinion.
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