The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus due to new evidence showing potential exposure while serving aboard USS Midway in Vietnam's territorial waters. The claim for service connection for polyneuropathy is also remanded as it may be derivative of the diabetes mellitus claim.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran’s assertions regarding herbicide agent exposure are presumed credible and raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim, thus material evidence has been received to reopen service connection for diabetes mellitus. The polyneuropathy claim is remanded as it may be derivative of the diabetes mellitus claim.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, polyneuropathy
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 11, 2021
- Citation
- 21001807
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 21001807.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection on the merits are being remanded due to new evidence and development needs. The maximum disability rating for tinnitus has already been assigned.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right lower extremity peripheral artery disease, left lower extremity peripheral artery disease, and hypertension as the evidence did not establish an in-service event or exposure to herbicide agents.
- Granted
The Veteran's Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular Aid and Attendance is granted as of April 25, 2024.,For diabetes mellitus, a rating in excess of 20 percent is denied.
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