Diabetes decisions — 2004

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that the evidence did not support a prior effective date.

The Board denied the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of diabetes mellitus, finding that no such request was made prior to December 18, 1995.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination. The claim will be reviewed again after these steps are completed.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus, finding that the veteran did not have these conditions in service or within one year of discharge.

The veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, which is secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus, has been remanded due to unclear opinions regarding the etiology of his hypertension and whether it was caused by or aggravated by his diabetes.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for multiple myeloma, Type I diabetes mellitus, nephropathy, uremia and renal artery stenosis, peripheral neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, hypertension, and coronary artery disease as due to exposure to herbicides (Agent Orange) during service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations, with some issues being remanded.

The Board found that the veteran's current diabetes is not causally related to his active service and denied his claim.

The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus and back disorder were not incurred or aggravated during active military service, including exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied service connection for Diabetes Mellitus and hearing loss, as well as the effective date for hearing loss. The veteran's claims were based on new evidence that reopened his original claim.

The Board has granted service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, a disease presumptively caused by exposure to herbicides during military service.

The veteran's nonservice-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an original evaluation in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus, as his condition did not require insulin and was currently managed with diet and exercise.

The veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied as no earlier effective date is warranted due to the requirement of the Nehmer cases and the VCAA.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of diabetes mellitus associated with herbicide exposure, finding that retroactive benefits were not warranted due to the lack of reference to diabetes in initial claims and the fact that the diagnosis was made after VA became aware of the condition.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a low back injury and diabetes mellitus due to lack of evidence supporting these conditions.

The veteran's PTSD is manifested by anxiety and nightmares, but is mild in severity. The Board found that an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for PTSD is not warranted.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation of his service-connected degenerative disc disease L3-L5, status post laminectomy. The case will be returned to the Board after further development.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes, hypertension, poor circulation, and blood clots, including as secondary to herbicide exposure. The evidence did not show any link between these conditions and active service or post-service symptomatology.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for the claims of service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease, diabetic retinopathy, liver disease and renal insufficiency as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus.