Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is granted due to herbicide exposure.,Service connection for diabetic retinopathy is granted as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.,Service connection for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity is granted as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.,Service connection for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity is granted as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.,Service connection for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity is granted as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.,Service connection for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity is granted as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service aboard the USS Horne likely placed him within the waters of the Republic of Vietnam and may be presumed to have been exposed to herbicide agents. Diabetes mellitus, type II, is presumed to have been incurred in wartime service due to herbicide exposure.,Competent, credible, and probative lay and medical evidence supports a finding that diabetic retinopathy was proximately caused by or aggravated by service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.,Competent, credible, and probative lay and medical evidence supports a finding that diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity was proximately caused by or aggravated by service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.,Competent, credible, and probative lay and medical evidence supports a finding that diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity was proximately caused by or aggravated by service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.,Competent, credible, and probative lay and medical evidence supports a finding that diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity was proximately caused by or aggravated by service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.,Competent, credible, and probative lay and medical evidence supports a finding that diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity was proximately caused by or aggravated by service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, type II, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 30, 2022
- Citation
- 22049311
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 22049311.
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
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