The Board has restored service connection for diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease (CAD) s/p CABG, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure with heart block. Service connection was previously severed due to a lack of evidence confirming herbicide exposure during the Veteran's period in Korea.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there is not clear and unmistakable evidence that the Veteran was not exposed to herbicides/Agent Orange during his service in Korea, which supported the original grant of presumptive service connection for diabetes mellitus and CAD s/p CABG, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure with heart block.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease (CAD) s/p CABG, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure with heart block, stable, midsternal line scar s/p CABG procedure
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 25, 2026
- Citation
- A26026814
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 A26026814.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, visual impairment, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's claims were not granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection on the merits are being remanded due to new evidence and development needs. The maximum disability rating for tinnitus has already been assigned.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right lower extremity peripheral artery disease, left lower extremity peripheral artery disease, and hypertension as the evidence did not establish an in-service event or exposure to herbicide agents.
- Granted
The Veteran's Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular Aid and Attendance is granted as of April 25, 2024.,For diabetes mellitus, a rating in excess of 20 percent is denied.
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