The Veteran's CLL, diabetes, GVHD of the lips, and bilateral neuropathy are granted as service-connected due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Okinawa. The Board found reasonable doubt in favor of the appellant for all conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his service in Okinawa, which is presumed to cause CLL and diabetes. The Board also concluded that the Veteran's GVHD and neuropathy were secondary to his CLL.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), diabetes mellitus type II (diabetes), graft versus host disease (GVHD) of the lips, neuropathy of both feet
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 9, 2022
- Citation
- 22063018
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 22063018.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, diabetes mellitus type II, and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy. The Veteran's cause of death due to these conditions is also recognized.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain a medical examination regarding the severity of his residuals from chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), including chronic fatigue. The initial compensable rating for CLL remains denied.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for CLL, B-cell leukemia, and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma on a presumptive basis due to in-service herbicide exposure. The Veteran served within the territorial sea of the Republic of Vietnam during his active duty.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and heart failure have been granted on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicide agents during service. The claim for glaucoma has been denied as not related to service-connected conditions or in-service herbicide agent exposure.,Service connection for heart failure is granted secondary to service-connected coronary artery disease.
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