Service connection for malaria is denied. The Veteran's claim has been reopened, but service connection cannot be established as there was no evidence of a current disability during or within one year after service.,Service connection for chronic kidney disease is granted. The Veteran's current diagnosis is linked to herbicide agent exposure during service.,Service connection for the heart disability (atherosclerosis of the aorta) is granted. The Veteran has a current diagnosis and there is evidence linking it to herbicide agent exposure.,Service connection for hyperlipidemia is denied. There is no disease or disability listed under VA regulations that corresponds with this condition.,Service connection for asbestosis is denied. There is no evidence of asbestos exposure during service, and the Veteran's claim cannot be granted based on presumptive service connection.,Service connection for chronic constipation (IBS) is denied. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis or sufficient evidence linking it to service.,Service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is denied. There is no evidence of GERD during service and the condition cannot be linked to herbicide agent exposure.,Service connection for cataract of the left eye is denied. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis or sufficient evidence linking it to service.,Service connection for myasthenia gravis and double vision is granted. There is a current diagnosis and evidence linking it to herbicide agent exposure.
The deciding factor: The service medical records do not show any signs, symptoms, or treatment for malaria during service. The Veteran's claim has been reopened but cannot be granted as there was no evidence of a current disability during or within one year after service.,The Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to herbicide agents during service and has a current diagnosis of chronic kidney disease. Service connection can be established based on the presumption of exposure to herbicide agents.,The Veteran's heart disability (atherosclerosis of the aorta) is linked to herbicide agent exposure, as evidenced by his current diagnosis and reasoning provided in the March 2020 private medical opinion from Dr. B.,Hyperlipidemia is not listed under VA regulations as a disease or disability that can be granted based on service connection. The Veteran's claim for hyperlipidemia is denied.,There is no evidence of asbestos exposure during service and the Veteran's claim cannot be granted based on presumptive service connection for asbestosis.,The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis or sufficient evidence linking chronic constipation (IBS) to service. The condition is denied.,Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was not diagnosed during service and there is no evidence of GERD linked to herbicide agent exposure. The claim for GERD is denied.,There is no current diagnosis or sufficient evidence linking cataract of the left eye to service. The condition is denied.,Myasthenia gravis and double vision are currently diagnosed, and the March 2020 private medical opinion from Dr. B. provides reasoning that links it to herbicide agent exposure during service.
- Claimed conditions
- malaria, chronic kidney disease, atherosclerosis of the aorta (heart disability), hyperlipidemia, asbestosis, chronic constipation (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), cataract of the left eye, myasthenia gravis and double vision
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 25, 2024
- Citation
- 24003827
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,645 · Granted: 19% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 24003827.
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.
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- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as the appellant withdrew their request for a hearing and to continue with the appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that the Veteran meets the basic medical eligibility criteria for PCAFC benefits due to his need for personal care services based on symptoms or residuals of neurological or other impairment or injury. However, further clinical evaluation is needed to determine if participation in the program is in the Veteran's best interest.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic kidney disease, effective January 30, 1998. The decision is based on newly associated service treatment records that were not previously considered in the original denial of the claim.
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