Diabetes decisions — 2004

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine if the veteran's diabetes mellitus is related to his service in the military and exposure to Agent Orange while stationed at Fort Drum, New York.

The veteran's claim for special monthly pension on account of aid and attendance or being housebound is remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus, presumed to be caused by his service in Vietnam and exposure to herbicides, was found to have contributed to his death. Therefore, the appeal for service connection for cause of death is granted.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for service connection for several conditions, including arthritis, anxiety disorder, peptic ulcer and gall bladder disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic sinus disability, chronic back disability, breast disorder, and eye disorder. The decision is based on direct evidence of a link between these conditions and military service.

The veteran's Type 2 diabetes is presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during service in the Gulf War, and this claim is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus and a compensable evaluation for hemorrhoids, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected below-the-knee amputation contributed to his death due to coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, which were exacerbated by lack of exercise caused by the amputation.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) because his diabetes mellitus, Type II, rated as 20% disabling, did not meet the percentage standards set forth at 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a).

The veteran is seeking service connection for diabetes mellitus, which the RO has denied. The Board has ordered additional development to be completed before a final decision can be made.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for diabetes mellitus, finding that the evidence did not support a rating higher than 20 percent.

The VA denied compensation benefits as the veteran's amputation was not a result of improper treatment at the time of his left leg abrasion, but rather due to pre-existing diabetic foot ulcers.

The Board denied the appellant's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus Type II and vertigo, as well as his attempts to reopen claims for cataracts, burns on the left side of the face, anxiety with insomnia, hypertension with cardiac distress, and a kidney disorder. The Board found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, and the RO has requested additional development to determine if a higher rating is warranted based on recent medical findings.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, arthritis, and gout as there was no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his active military service.

The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus did not cause or contribute substantially to his death from colon cancer, and thus denied service connection for the cause of death.

The veteran was granted special monthly compensation benefits based on being housebound, with one disability rated as 100 percent disabling and others in combination rated at 60 percent or more. The effective date is not specified because the claim is for accrued benefits purposes.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between service-connected diabetes and the cause of death (coronary artery disease). The appellant is requested to provide records from a private hospital where her husband died, as well as any records in Dr. L.'s possession.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities are being remanded to allow for additional examinations and consideration.

The veteran's claim for special monthly pension benefits based on the need for regular aid and attendance or at the housebound rate is being remanded due to incomplete information in his claims file, including a missing page of an examination report. The RO must request that he submit this missing page and obtain all pertinent treatment records.

The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, finding that his condition was adequately managed with oral hypoglycemic agents and a regulated diet.