The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for various conditions, including coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease, as there was no evidence of direct or presumed exposure to herbicide agents prior to the enactment of the PACT Act on August 10, 2022.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his service in Guam, and thus, an earlier effective date for service connection could not be granted under the direct or presumed exposure theories.
- Claimed conditions
- Coronary artery disease status post CABG with bradycardia, Linear left upper extremity scar, Sternal scar, Parkinson's disease with incontinence, Depression with cognitive impairment and sleep disturbance, Loss of automatic movement, right, Left lower extremity, balance impairment, bradykinesia, tremors and muscle rigidity, Erectile dysfunction, Difficulty chewing, right side, Stooped posture, Difficulty chewing, left side, Complete loss of sense of smell, Loss of automatic movement, left, Right upper extremity, bradykinesia, tremors and muscle rigidity, Left upper extremity, balance impairment, bradykinesia, tremors and muscle rigidity, Right lower extremity, balance impairment, bradykinesia, tremors and muscle rigidity, Speech changes, Constipation
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 13, 2025
- Citation
- A25023426
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,456 · Granted: 23% (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 A25023426.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
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