Diabetes decisions — 2002

The veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at the Alice Heart Center from October 21, 1999 to March 6, 2000 are denied as VA facilities were feasibly available and no emergency treatment was required.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that it did not begin during his active duty and was not aggravated by service.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia, status post nephrectomy, diabetes mellitus, left shoulder condition, and low back condition did not begin during or as a result of his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's current claims for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were not incurred or aggravated during his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for bilateral high frequency hearing loss and a retroactive effective date for service connection of diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no evidence of earlier intent to claim these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by his military service and was not caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for service-connected diabetes mellitus, finding that his disability did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation based on the current manifestations and lack of complications.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen these claims.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for diabetes mellitus, finding that the veteran's disability was primarily manifested by insulin requirement, restricted diet, regulation of activities, and possible noncompensable complications.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus claimed as secondary to exposure to herbicides (Agent Orange) because there was no evidence that he served in Vietnam and his diabetes mellitus did not become manifest during or within one year after service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing and issuing a Statement of the Case regarding the claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have legal entitlement to an effective date earlier than June 12, 2001 for a grant of service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus resulting from herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of December 29, 2002 for a separate, initial 10 percent evaluation for hypertension (as a diabetic complication). The effective dates for the other conditions remain as assigned.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, end stage renal disease, a lung disorder, and headaches. The evidence did not support these claims as there was no in-service diagnosis or exposure to chemicals that could be linked to these conditions.

The Board has granted a 40 percent disability rating for the veteran's diabetes mellitus, effective from the date of service connection.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus was not incurred in or aggravated by service, including exposure to herbicides during service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension have been denied as there is no competent medical evidence of a causal relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is rated at 20 percent, and his diabetic neuropathy of the feet does not warrant a compensable rating. Service connection for a chronic low back disability was denied.

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death, metastatic colorectal cancer, was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not related to his service-connected disabilities. The claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 was also denied as there was no evidence showing VA treatment caused additional disability.