The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus type 2, finding that the Veteran served within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam landmass during his naval service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence was in equipoise regarding whether the Veteran served on a ship within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam landmass, invoking VA's doctrine of reasonable doubt and granting the claims for service connection based on presumed exposure to herbicides.
- Claimed conditions
- ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus type 2
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20004761
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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