The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus type II, prostate cancer, and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood are granted. Service connection is denied for a dental condition, rheumatoid arthritis, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II, prostate cancer, and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood are presumed to be due to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. Service connection for a dental condition is denied as the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis eligible for VA compensation. Service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is denied as there is no evidence of these conditions during the pendency of the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- dental condition, diabetes mellitus type II, prostate cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- October 9, 2020
- Citation
- A20015426
Veterans Law Judge
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 A20015426.
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.
- Dismissed
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis disability rating is being remanded for additional development due to significant weight loss and anemia.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, visual impairment, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's claims were not granted.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, bone cancer, and lymph node cancer has been granted. The prostate cancer is presumed due to herbicide agent exposure during service at RTAFB Takhli. Bone cancer is secondary to the service-connected prostate cancer. Lymph node cancer is also considered secondary to prostate cancer.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.