The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) has been granted due to exposure to herbicides during his service in Thailand. The effective date is set at the date of receipt of the claim, February 11, 2010. For bilateral hearing loss and left foot hallux valgus, the claims are denied as there is no earlier effective date found.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's exposure to herbicides during his service in Thailand has been presumed, allowing for a presumption of service connection for CAD. The effective date is set at the earliest date of receipt of the claim due to the PACT Act provisions.
- Claimed conditions
- Coronary artery disease (CAD), bilateral hearing loss, left foot hallux valgus
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 25, 2023
- Citation
- 23040477
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 23040477.
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 appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, specifically needing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran will be asked to provide any missing records and former employers' information.
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