The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II and peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities are granted as service connected due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents, specifically Agent Orange.,Service connection is established for the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II based on presumptive exposure to Agent Orange. His peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities is also service-connected due to presumed exposure to Agent Orange.
The deciding factor: The Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents, including Agent Orange, during his service in Vietnam and has diabetes mellitus type II that manifested after service. The evidence supports a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus type II.,Peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities is related to presumed exposure to Agent Orange. The private clinicians provided opinions linking the Veteran's condition to herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 9, 2020
- Citation
- 20001430
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,604 · Granted: 65% (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 20001430.
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.
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The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
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The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic nephropathy, and prostate cancer. The issues of entitlement to special monthly compensation based on housebound status and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) are remanded.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction, which is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II and panic disorder with insomnia. The decision finds that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the erectile dysfunction was caused by these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted a 20% rating for diabetes mellitus type II from June 20, 2020. The right ankle scar claim is remanded due to the Veteran's failure to report for a scheduled examination. The GERD secondary to diabetes mellitus claim and TDIU issue are also remanded.
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