The Board has granted effective dates of January 30, 2020 for service connection and related benefits for various conditions including hypertension, diabetes mellitus with diabetic nephropathy and erectile dysfunction, scars, peripheral neuropathies, and a mid-sternotomy scar. The decision is based on the presumption that these conditions are due to herbicide exposure.
The deciding factor: The Board found positive evidence within VA's possession supporting the claim of hypertension being related to herbicide agent exposure through the PACT Act update from 2018 NAS Update, which elevated hypertension from 'limited or suggestive evidence' to 'sufficient evidence of an association'.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II with diabetic nephropathy and erectile dysfunction, scar at left medial thigh and lower leg (donor site for graft), left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, mid-sternotomy scar status post CABG
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 2, 2026
- Citation
- A26029999
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 A26029999.
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 service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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