The Board has determined that the Veteran's ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus, type II were not incurred or aggravated during service. The evidence does not support a finding of herbicide exposure in Thailand, which is required for presumptive service connection under VA regulations.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not serve near the perimeter of Thai Air Force bases where herbicides may have been used, and there is no credible evidence of actual exposure to such agents during his active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- Ischemic heart disease, Diabetes mellitus, type II
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 7, 2020
- Citation
- A20017981
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the R(1) rate due to his need for regular aid and attendance.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings of ischemic heart disease and diabetes, and these claims are dismissed.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, finding no evidence that his death was related to any injury or disease in service, including exposure to herbicide agents.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.
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