The Veteran's service connection claims for ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus type 2 are granted due to presumed exposure to Agent Orange during his service in Thailand.
The deciding factor: The Board found the Veteran was exposed to Agent Orange while serving in Thailand, which is sufficient to establish presumptive service connection for both conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus type 2
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20003802
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 case to obtain a new medical opinion regarding the Veteran's ischemic heart disease, as the previous opinions were found inadequate.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2 and diabetic nephropathy (renal failure) as secondary to the Veteran's now service-connected hypertension and diabetes mellitus type 2, respectively.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection of a heart condition, to include ischemic heart disease and/or cardiomyopathy due to cardiac amyloidosis, for further development.
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