The Board granted service connection for acid reflux / GERD, colonic diverticulitis, gallstones, diastasis of muscle, BPH, OSA, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and thyroid disease disorder (also claimed as autoimmune thyroid disease disorder), all as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type 2.
The deciding factor: The probative evidence weighed in favor of the claims based on medical opinions indicating that the Veteran's weight gain was aggravated by his service-connected diabetes, leading to the development or exacerbation of the other claimed conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Acid reflux / gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Colonic diverticulitis, Gallstones, Diastasis of muscle, Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), Hyperlipidemia, Hypertension, Thyroid disease disorder (also claimed as autoimmune thyroid disease disorder)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 16, 2025
- Citation
- A25044272
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 remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension, to include as secondary to left orchiectomy, for further development in accordance with the PACT Act.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities and denied higher ratings for several service-connected conditions.
- Denied
The appeal for higher ratings and effective dates for various conditions was denied, with the exception of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy which were granted an earlier effective date.
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