Diabetes decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type 2, which is presumed for veterans who served in Vietnam. As a result, the cause of the veteran's death is now considered service connected.

The Board found that the appellant does not meet the criteria for entitlement to special monthly pension by reason of need for regular aid and attendance due to her lack of physical or mental incapacity requiring care on a regular basis.

The veteran claims that his congestive heart failure is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The case has been remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the relationship between the two conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's dental bone loss, including periodontitis, is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected diabetes mellitus. As a result, the claim for secondary service connection for dental bone loss as secondary to diabetes mellitus is granted.

The veteran's claims for higher initial disability ratings for his service-connected conditions were denied. His diabetes mellitus is currently evaluated as 40 percent disabling, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are noncompensable from April 14, 2003 to January 20, 2006, erectile dysfunction and diabetic retinopathy each receive a noncompensable evaluation.

The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus requires insulin and a restricted diet, but not regulation of activities. Therefore, a higher initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent is denied.

The Board finds that the veteran's diabetes mellitus does not warrant a rating in excess of 60 percent, as it does not meet the criteria for a 100 percent evaluation.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including whether they are related to service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, and initial ratings higher than 20 percent for diabetes mellitus and 10 percent for atrial fibrillation were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for diabetes mellitus or atrial fibrillation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher ratings for diabetes mellitus and service connection for erectile dysfunction and bipolar disorder, finding that the evidence did not support these claims.

The veteran is seeking service connection for diabetes mellitus, which he claims is related to his exposure to Agent Orange while stationed in Korea. However, the RO needs to determine if the veteran was exposed to herbicides along the DMZ in Korea and verify the location of his unit during that time.

The veteran's death was caused by renal failure, but his service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to the cause of death. The appellant is also denied DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 as he did not meet the criteria for receiving such benefits.

The Board has granted the appellant's claims for accrued benefits, effective January 26, 1994, based on the Nehmer decisions. The veteran died from a covered herbicide disease (Type II Diabetes Mellitus).

The veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for diabetes mellitus from November 7, 2002 was denied as there is no evidence that the condition required insulin and a restricted diet to regulate activities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus did not begin during service and is not related to any in-service exposure, thus denying the claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus with vision disability and increased ratings for the veteran's lumbar spine, cervical spine, and skull fracture disabilities. The effective dates are not specified as they were previously established.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus, which is presumed due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam, contributed substantially or materially to his death from pneumonia and pulmonary fibrosis. As a result, service connection for the cause of death is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims due to the need for additional development and consideration of the veteran's evidence.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus and has granted it to the extent that it is aggravated by steroid injections used to treat his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's Type II diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred in service due to his Vietnam-era service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.