The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is granted as presumed due to herbicide exposure.,His peripheral neuropathy, bilateral lower extremities and upper extremities are secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.,His diabetic retinopathy is also secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.,His erectile dysfunction is also secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.,The Veteran's bilateral cataracts are not currently diagnosed, but if diagnosed, would be considered secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.
The deciding factor: The Veteran was exposed to herbicides during service and presumed to have developed diabetes due to this exposure. His peripheral neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and erectile dysfunction are all found to be related to his service-connected diabetes.,Bilateral cataracts were not diagnosed at the time of examination but if diagnosed would be considered secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, bilateral lower extremities, peripheral neuropathy, bilateral upper extremities, diabetic retinopathy, erectile dysfunction, bilateral cataracts
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 24, 2022
- Citation
- 22054489
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 22054489.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
- 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.
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