The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and ischemic heart disease due to herbicide exposure, as well as peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower and upper extremities and left eye retinopathy. The Board found no evidence of herbicide agent exposure in Thailand and thus could not establish presumptive service connection.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's military records did not show regular exposure to herbicide agents during his time stationed in Thailand, and there was insufficient credible evidence to support the Veteran's assertions of such exposure. As a result, the presumption of herbicide agent exposure for diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease could not be established.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, type II, ischemic heart disease, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, left eye retinopathy
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 25, 2022
- Citation
- 22011061
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 22011061.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, including ischemic heart disease. The evidence did not support a finding of a current disability related to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any related exposure.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claims for sleep apnea and an increased disability rating for diabetes mellitus, type II.
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