Diabetes decisions — 2003

The Board has determined that the appellant is not in need of regular aid and attendance or housebound, thus denying her claim for special monthly pension benefits.

The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus was not related to his period of service and denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of diabetes mellitus is being remanded due to the need for additional development and notification under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his diabetes mellitus, finding that the criteria for a 60 percent rating have not been met.

The Board denied service connection for high blood pressure, a stomach condition, and diabetes with impotence as the conditions are not related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and secondary to service-connected hypertension, as well as his requests for increased ratings for postoperative hammertoes of each foot and initial compensable ratings for bilateral plantar fasciitis/pes planus.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and requests for additional development.

The Board determined that the appellant had not submitted new and material evidence to reopen her claim of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the veteran's death. The medical opinion concluded that the veteran's noncompliance with his diabetes mellitus treatment was a significant factor in his cardiovascular disease, which ultimately led to his death.

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

The Board has ordered further development in the case due to pending issues and is remanding it back to the RO for additional consideration.

The veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the issue of a rating in excess of 40 percent for diabetes mellitus. The case is dismissed without prejudice.

The Board found that the veteran did not have arthritis of both ankles or diabetes mellitus incurred in service, and denied these claims.

The veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the appellant did not meet the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 or 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Board has determined that there is a need to obtain additional medical records and provide the veteran with an examination to determine the nature and etiology of his diabetes. The case will be remanded for these actions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, skin disorders, an undiagnosed illness, gout, muscle tension headaches, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, hearing loss, and diabetes mellitus. The reasons were that these conditions are known diseases or diagnostic entities and not due to an undiagnosed illness.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for right eye condition, sinus condition, left parotid gland lesion, diabetes mellitus, and PTSD. The Board found that none of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100 percent rating for diabetes mellitus is being remanded due to the need for additional development and notification.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, a low back disability, diabetes mellitus (secondary to Agent Orange exposure), and a psychiatric disability. The VA found that there was no medical evidence establishing these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the veteran's death due to diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease, which are presumed to be related to his Vietnam-era service. The appellant is also eligible for DEA benefits under Chapter 35, and her claim for DIC benefits under Section 1318 is dismissed as moot.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to his death. The claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 was also denied as there was no evidence showing a causal connection between the veteran's service-connected conditions and his death.