Diabetes decisions — 2004

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing the veteran with a VA examination to assess his service-connected conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus did not originate in service and is not otherwise causally related to his military service, including exposure to herbicides such as Agent Orange.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for skin sores and shortness of breath, as well as his claim for an increased rating for diabetes mellitus. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Board has granted service connection and assigned a 20 percent rating for diabetes mellitus, effective July 9, 2001. The veteran's claim of service connection for the residuals of cerebrovascular accident is being remanded to the RO.

The Board found that the cause of death was not service-connected, and denied DIC benefits.

The Board has found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred in service on the basis of exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically PTSD, is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the claimed stressors.

The Board has granted an increased rating to a 40 percent for diabetes mellitus, which now requires insulin, restricted diet, and regulation of activities.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is granted as secondary to exposure to Agent Orange during service.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, effective July 9, 2001. The post-operative residuals of prostate cancer are rated as noncompensable (0 percent), effective October 15, 2001.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary due to incomplete medical records and the need for a VA opinion regarding the cause of the veteran's death. The case will be returned to the RO for this purpose.

The veteran's claims for increased diabetes, COPD, and chloracne were denied as secondary to Agent Orange exposure. The VA found no evidence linking these conditions to service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the grant of a TDIU is May 8, 2001, due to the liberalizing law adding diabetes Type II to the list of presumptive diseases under 38 C.F.R. § 3.307.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions, finding no evidence of their onset or causation during active duty.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that neither cardiovascular disease nor diabetes was present during service or manifested within one year afterward and not etiologically related to service.

The veteran's Type II diabetes mellitus is rated at 40 percent effective from August 7, 1997. He also has a separate 10 percent rating for peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and benign prostatic hypertrophy, finding that the veteran did not have these conditions during his active or reserve component service. The claim for benign prostatic hypertrophy was reopened based on new evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the veteran's duty station in Vietnam, and for further development of the claim.

The veteran is seeking service connection for diabetes mellitus and related conditions, including COPD, glaucoma, obesity, hypothyroidism, and hyperlipidemia. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional evidence regarding the veteran's exposure to herbicides during his military service.

The Board granted service connection for residuals of exposure to PCB and increased the rating for digestive system disabilities from 10 percent to 20 percent effective August 12, 1983. The veteran's claim for a compensable rating for skin cancer was also granted.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations to determine the nature of his PTSD and diabetes mellitus.