The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II and ischemic heart disease (IHD) are granted as presumptively related to his exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. Hypertension is also granted under the PACT Act for presumed exposure to herbicides.,Additional medical records from private providers such as Dr. Reed Ward, Dr. Allen J. Salem, and St. Luke's need to be obtained to fully assess these claims.
The deciding factor: The Veteran served in Vietnam and has been granted presumptive service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and hypertension due to presumed exposure to herbicides.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, type II, ischemic heart disease (IHD), hypertension
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 14, 2023
- Citation
- 23009489
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 23009489.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
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 hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- 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 Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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