The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular accident, peripheral vascular disease, COPD, and severe obstructive sleep apnea, all of which are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during the Veteran's service in Thailand. The secondary service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea is also granted.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides during his service in Thailand and that this exposure is presumed to cause the claimed conditions, including ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular accident, peripheral vascular disease, COPD, and severe obstructive sleep apnea. The secondary service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is also granted based on a nexus between the Veteran's COPD and his sleep disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular accident, peripheral vascular disease (PVD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), severe obstructive sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 5, 2023
- Citation
- 23020877
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 23020877.
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.
- 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.
- Denied
The Veteran's respiratory disability, including asthma and COPD, is denied as service connection is not warranted due to the condition being solely attributed to smoking.
- Granted
The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is granted as presumptively related to his service in the Gulf War, specifically aboard the USS Chanticleer and USS Mataco.
- 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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