The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied, while his claims for ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus, type II were granted based on presumed exposure to herbicides during active duty in Thailand.
The deciding factor: The Veteran presented credible evidence of exposure to herbicides during his active duty service at or near the perimeter of U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Force Base. His post-service medical records confirmed diagnoses of diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease, which are presumed related to such exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, ischemic heart disease (IHD), diabetes mellitus, type II
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 22, 2020
- Citation
- 20048891
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 20048891.
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 appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, specifically needing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran will be asked to provide any missing records and former employers' information.
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