The Board has determined that the Veteran did not have exposure to herbicide agents during his service, and therefore cannot be presumed to have developed diabetes mellitus, hypertension, heart disability (coronary artery disease), or skin disability (basal cell carcinoma with dysplastic nevi) as a result of such exposure. As such, these conditions are denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service aboard the USS Coral Sea did not place him within 12 nautical miles of the shores of Vietnam during his claimed period of herbicide agent exposure, and no evidence supports his contention that he was exposed to herbicides while onboard the ship. As a result, the presumptive provisions for these conditions do not apply.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, hypertension, heart disability (coronary artery disease), skin disability (basal cell carcinoma with dysplastic nevi)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 10, 2023
- Citation
- A23027916
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 A23027916.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
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- 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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