Diabetes decisions — 2004

The veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound is remanded due to a lack of recent medical examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence to support a presumption of exposure to herbicides and concluding that there is insufficient medical evidence linking the condition to his military service.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent due to herbicide exposure, but the Board found that a higher rating is not warranted based on the current evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and neck injury, finding no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other causative factors.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C, finding it likely the veteran contracted the condition during service. Service connection was not established for diabetes due to lack of pre-service records.

The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus did not begin during service and is not related to any disease or injury in service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for various respiratory and other conditions, including laryngitis, bronchitis, corneal opacities, arthritis, enlargement of the testicles, ischemic heart disease, diabetes, congestive heart failure, and cor pulmonale, as secondary to mustard gas exposure during active military service. The Board found that there was no verified full-body mustard gas exposure and that medical evidence did not show these conditions were due to mustard gas exposure or incurred coincident with service.

The Board denied the appellant's request to reopen her claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that no new and material evidence had been received. The Board also noted that the conditions causing the veteran's death were not associated with his military service or Agent Orange exposure.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected diabetes mellitus and prostate disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and arranging for examinations.

The veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II due to Agent Orange exposure is being remanded because the VA has not discharged its duty to obtain federal records that could substantiate his service in Vietnam.

The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus did not begin during service and was not caused by any incident of service. As a result, the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus is denied.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and infertility, finding no evidence of exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam or any link between the conditions and military service.

The Board denied the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of diabetes mellitus secondary to exposure to Agent Orange, finding that no legal basis existed for such a grant prior to February 20, 2001.

The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is not shown to be causally related to herbicide exposure during active service. As such, service connection for diabetes mellitus cannot be granted.

The veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person is remanded due to insufficient medical evidence regarding his daily needs. The VA will arrange for a VA examination to determine if he requires assistance in performing daily needs.

The Board denied service connection for type II diabetes mellitus due to exposure to herbicides (Agent Orange) as the veteran did not serve in Vietnam and there is no evidence linking his current diagnosis with his military service.

The case is being remanded for further VA examinations and the provision of additional treatment records to determine the severity of the veteran's diabetes mellitus and its complications, including diabetic retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy, and hypertension. The RO will then review the claim for a higher rating.

The veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, claimed as secondary to Agent Orange exposure, is being remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding the correct diagnosis of his condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity as to preclude him from obtaining or retaining a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a total disability rating for compensation purposes.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus and pancreatic cancer, which were both service-connected due to exposure to toxic herbicides in Vietnam, contributed substantially to his death. As such, the cause of the veteran's death is considered service connected.