The Veteran's claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus was denied. Service connection was granted for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and ischemic heart disease due to exposure to herbicide agents during active military service at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base.
The deciding factor: The Board found the evidence in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his in-service noise exposure. Service connection for ischemic heart disease was granted based on a presumption of exposure to herbicide agents due to service at Ubon RTAFB.
- Claimed conditions
- Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Ischemic Heart Disease
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 9, 2024
- Citation
- 24007042
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 24007042.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
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