Citation Nr: 21026852 Decision Date: 05/04/21 Archive Date: 05/04/21 DOCKET NO. 17-15 384 DATE: May 4, 2021 ORDER Service connection for nasal polyps, to include as due to exposure to herbicides is granted. FINDING OF FACT Resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor, his nasal polyps are at least as likely as not related to exposure to herbicide agents. CONCLUSION OF LAW The criteria for service connection for nasal polyps are met. 38 U.S.C. §§ 1110, 5107; 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.102, 3.303. REASONS AND BASES FOR FINDING AND CONCLUSION The Veteran served honorably on active duty in the United States Air Force from March 1968 to May 1972. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from an April 2016 rating decision issued by a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). The Veteran attended a virtual hearing before the undersigned in May 2020. In July 2020, the Board remanded this matter for further development. Service connection may be granted for a disability resulting from disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by active service. 38 U.S.C. § 1110; 38 C.F.R. § 3.303. To establish service connection for a disability, a Veteran must show: (1) the existence of a present disability; (2) in-service incurrence or aggravation of a disease or injury; and (3) a causal relationship between the present disability and the disease or injury incurred or aggravated during service. Davidson v. Shinseki, 581 F.3d 1313 (Fed. Cir. 2009). The Veteran contends that his nasal polyps are due to exposure to herbicide agents. For the following reasons, the Board agrees. The Veteran has a current diagnosis of nasal polyps. The Veteran testified that he was exposed to herbicide agents while he was stationed at Royal Thai Air Force Base (RTAFB) at U-Tapao. Personnel records confirm that the Veteran was stationed at U-Tapao and that his military occupational specialty (MOS) was munitions specialist. The United States Department of Defense has confirmed that herbicides were used within the Thailand bases to control weeds at base perimeters. The Veteran submitted maps of U-Tapao and testified about his duties which required him to be in close proximity of the base perimeter, to include the B-52 airfield, and cross the base perimeter multiple times daily during the course of the performance of his job duties. As such, the Board finds that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents while stationed at RTAFB U-Tapao. Turning to the third element, medical nexus, the evidence consists of a February 2021 VA examination. The examiner opined that it was at least as likely as not that the Veteran's nasal polyps are due to herbicide exposure. The examiner is competent to provide this opinion, the Board finds them to be credible, and affords the opinion great probative weight. The Board finds the evidence to be in relative equipoise. If the evidence is supportive or is in relative equipoise, then the veteran prevails. See 38 C.F.R. § 3.102. Accordingly, service connection for nasal polyps is granted. 38 C.F.R. § 3.303. JOHN Z. JONES Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board Michael Chandeck, Associate Counsel The Board's decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.