The Veteran's claim for service connection for white matter changes and dementia (claimed as Parkinson’s Disease) was reopened, and he is now granted service connection. Additionally, his claim for service connection for Parkinson's disease, which he contends is secondary to herbicide exposure, has also been granted.
The deciding factor: New evidence established a current diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, allowing the reopening of the previously denied claim. The Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during service and had a diagnosed condition that falls under the presumptive service connection for certain diseases due to such exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- white matter changes, dementia, Parkinson's disease
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20032020
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 20032020.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the (o) rate and SMC at the (r)(2) rate, effective January 19, 2025. The decision finds that the Veteran's service-connected conditions warrant these awards due to his need for aid and attendance.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder (other specified trauma and stressor related disorder and PTSD), and Parkinson's disease. The conditions are presumed to be due to exposure in service.,Service connection is established for all four claimed conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including Parkinson's disease and related disabilities of the upper and lower extremities, have caused loss of use in both hands and need for aid and attendance due to his lower extremity disability, kidney disease, and neurogenic bladder. The Board has granted SMC based on these findings.
- Denied
The Veteran's tinnitus and hearing loss claims are denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.,The Veteran's high cholesterol, dementia, stroke, prostate cancer, cataracts, diabetes, hypertension, CHF, and myocardial infarction claims are denied due to lack of service connection evidence or insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the disabilities and active duty service.,The Veteran was exposed to toxins during his military service but there is no evidence linking these exposures to any of the claimed conditions.
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