The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted. His bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus type II, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right shoulder osteoarthritis with strain, and back disability are all found to be related to his active duty service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's military records confirm his exposure to herbicide agents during service at Udorn RTAFB in Thailand. His credible testimony supports the presumption of exposure to herbicides based on his duties near the air base perimeter. The VA examiner confirmed the diagnoses and provided a nexus opinion supporting the presumptive service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus, type II, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right shoulder osteoarthritis with strain, back disability
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 9, 2022
- Citation
- 22013480
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 22013480.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- 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.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
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