Service connection for diabetes mellitus is granted. The Veteran's current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus requires management by a restricted diet.,An initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Veteran’s current hearing acuity does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA regulations.,The Veteran's thalamic stroke with speech impediment prior to August 6, 2018 is rated at 10 percent and remains unchanged. The evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran’s current condition meets the criteria for an increased evaluation.,An initial rating of 20 percent for varicose veins of the right lower extremity is granted. The Veteran's persistent edema, incompletely relieved by elevation, meets the criteria for a 20 percent rating under VA regulations.,An initial rating of 20 percent for varicose veins of the left lower extremity is granted. Similar to the right side, the Veteran’s persistent edema, incompletely relieved by elevation, meets the criteria for a 20 percent rating under VA regulations.,Service connection for a right knee disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence.,Service connection for a left knee disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence.,Service connection for sciatic nerve trouble of the right lower extremity as secondary to service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is remanded due to insufficient evidence.,An evaluation in excess of 10 percent for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is remanded due to insufficient evidence.,An evaluation in excess of 10 percent for cerebrovascular accident (CVA) related to cardiac embolic event from March 1, 2019 is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The deciding factor: The Veteran's service at U-Tapao RTAFB involved service along the perimeter and he was exposed to herbicide agents during his service in Thailand. As such, he is entitled to a presumption of exposure to herbicide agents.,The medical evidence of record indicates that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus which requires management by a restricted diet as evidenced by private treatment records dated in October 2018. Diabetes mellitus is entitled to presumptive service connection under 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(e).,The preponderance of the evidence does not support an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, as the Veteran's current hearing acuity does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA regulations.,The evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran’s thalamic stroke with speech impediment prior to August 6, 2018 meets the criteria for an increased evaluation. The Veteran's condition has been rated at 10 percent since March 1, 2019 and remains unchanged.,The evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran’s varicose veins of the right lower extremity meet the criteria for a 20 percent rating under VA regulations. The Veteran's persistent edema, incompletely relieved by elevation, meets the criteria for a 20 percent rating.,Service connection for a right knee disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence.,Service connection for a left knee disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence.,Service connection for sciatic nerve trouble of the right lower extremity as secondary to service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is remanded due to insufficient evidence.,An evaluation in excess of 10 percent for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is remanded due to insufficient evidence.,An evaluation in excess of 10 percent for cerebrovascular accident (CVA) related to cardiac embolic event from March 1, 2019 is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

Claimed conditions

diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss, thalamic stroke with speech impediment, varicose veins of the right lower extremity, varicose veins of the left lower extremity

How they argued it

Presumptive (no nexus needed)

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

20%

Decision date

December 10, 2020

Citation

20078322

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 20078322.