The Board granted earlier effective dates of September 6, 2005, for the grants of service connection and special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance (for accrued purposes only) associated with diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's intent to file a claim for service connection was reasonably inferred from his VA Form 21-526 filed on September 6, 2005, which included references to his diabetes, neuropathy, congestive heart failure, and blindness.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, congestive heart failure, blindness, hypertension with nephropathy, diabetic gastronitis, incontinence
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 3, 2024
- Citation
- 24000449
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 appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a heart condition to obtain an addendum opinion from a VA clinician regarding whether the Veteran's current heart condition is related to service, including in-service treatment for hypertension.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, finding that the conditions are related to Agent Orange exposure during the Veteran's service in Vietnam.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for vertigo, incontinence, and GERD due to the lack of evidence supporting current diagnoses. The claims for hematuria and hemorrhoids were remanded for further development.
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