Service connection for a heart disability is granted.,Effective dates of April 6, 2005 are granted for service connection of diabetic neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus rating remains at 20 percent.,Increased ratings for diabetic neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities are remanded.,An effective date earlier than September 6, 2016 for SMC based on a need for aid and attendance is remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's ischemic heart disease was found to be service-connected due to presumed exposure to herbicides during his Vietnam War service.,Diabetic neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities were granted effective from April 6, 2005 based on VA records showing treatment for these conditions starting in that period.,The diabetes rating remains at 20 percent as there is no new evidence to support a higher rating.,Increased ratings are needed due to the severity of diabetic neuropathy and its impact on the Veteran's lower extremities.,An earlier effective date for SMC based on need for aid and attendance will depend on the severity of diabetes during that period.
- Claimed conditions
- Heart disability (presumptive due to herbicide exposure), Diabetic neuropathy of the right lower extremity, Diabetic neuropathy of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 18, 2024
- Citation
- A24039127
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 A24039127.
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 Board dismissed the appeals for service connection and increased ratings due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuropathy of both lower extremities, and kidney disease, all as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including diabetic neuropathy of the right and left upper and lower extremities, migraine headaches, fatigue, kidney cancer, as well as an earlier effective date and a higher rating for diabetic neuropathy of the right lower extremity.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for diabetic neuropathy of the left upper, lower extremities and right lower extremity. The claims were remanded for further development regarding cardiovascular arterial disease and carpal tunnel of the right wrist.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.