The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and left lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy as the evidence did not establish in-service exposure to herbicide agents or a nexus between the claimed conditions and service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lay statements regarding exposure were found insufficient due to lack of scientific support for second-hand contact with herbicide agents, and there was no evidence establishing actual exposure aboard the USS Ranger.
- Claimed conditions
- Diabetes mellitus type II (DMII), Right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, Left lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 25, 2025
- Citation
- A25055175
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
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 matter for an appropriate VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's DMII, as the AOJ failed to properly notify the Veteran of a scheduled examination.
- Granted
The Board granted earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for DM II, left lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension as secondary to diabetes mellitus type II, and bilateral lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy as secondary to diabetes mellitus type II.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of the claims for service connection for PTSD and depression, but denied service connection for DMII, hypertension, prostate cancer, sleep apnea, impotence, peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral claudication/superficial femoral artery disease.
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