Diabetes decisions — 2003

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the service-connected lumbosacral strain and did not reopen the claim for diabetes mellitus or grant service connection for ulcers. The veteran's low back strain is currently rated at 10 percent, which includes characteristic pain on motion.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for chronic pancreatitis and diabetes mellitus, as well as his claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of a TDIU, were denied.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus was not incurred or aggravated in service and is not presumed to be due to Agent Orange exposure. The Board denied the claim as there was no evidence of physical presence in Vietnam during the relevant time period.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a Travel Board hearing, after which it will be returned to the Board.

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

The veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted a TDIU based on his PTSD and hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, which was presumed to have been incurred in service. Service connection for hypertension is denied as the condition did not begin during or within one year after active duty.

The Board found that diabetes mellitus was not present in service or until after separation, and did not link it to a disease or injury in service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient service medical records and needs further investigation into the veteran's claims.

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

The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to a certificate of eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing due to his service-connected disabilities, which effectively confine him to a wheelchair and preclude locomotion.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred in service, and his PTSD is service-connected based on the presumption of exposure to herbicide agents. The effective date for these determinations is not specified.

The veteran's claim of service connection for diabetes, which is secondary to a service-connected condition (pancreatitis), has been dismissed due to the death of the veteran.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability and diabetes mellitus, including due to exposure to Agent Orange. The issues of entitlement to an increased rating for residuals of a gunshot wound to the right ankle are not yet ready for appellate disposition.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his diabetes mellitus with cataracts is granted, and he is currently rated at 20 percent. Service connection for hypertension is denied as it was not incurred in service or due to the service-connected diabetes.

The veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, but the appellant is eligible for DIC benefits due to her husband being in receipt of or entitled to receive compensation for a service-connected disability that was continuously rated totally disabling for more than ten years immediately preceding his death.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for his diabetes mellitus, currently evaluated as 20 percent disabling.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions of diabetes mellitus, stomach hernias, diverticulitis, and peritonitis were not incurred or aggravated during service. The claims are denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, heart disorder, diabetes mellitus, arthritis of the hands, benign prostatic hypertrophy, left ankle fusion, anemia, ulcer disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. The appeals were based on direct evidence rather than presumptions or secondary service connection.