The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II (DMII) due to herbicide exposure and neuropathy in the bilateral lower extremities as secondary to DMII, finding that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides during his service within twelve nautical miles of Vietnam.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran served within the twelve-nautical-mile territorial sea of the Republic of Vietnam while stationed on the USS Ticonderoga and thus presumed exposure to herbicide agents. As a result, the Board granted service connection for DMII due to this presumption. The neuropathy in the bilateral lower extremities was also found to be secondary to the now-service connected DMII.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus type II (DMII), neuropathy in the bilateral lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 20, 2024
- Citation
- A24076457
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 A24076457.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus type II and bilateral varicose veins due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's service connection claims are not granted as there is no direct evidence linking his conditions to his active service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and kidney disease, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The decision also remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as the November 17, 2025, request for an extension of time to file an appeal from a rating decision issued on May 31, 2024, that denied service connection for DMII, ED, fibromyalgia, IBS, and PTSD was not timely filed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot bunionectomy, diabetes mellitus type II (DMII), and a left eye injury. The claims are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations.
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.