Diabetes decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred due to herbicide exposure during service in Vietnam. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, currently rated at 20 percent, does not warrant a higher rating as his activities have not been restricted due to medical advice.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is rated at 40 percent. Right ear hearing loss was found to be incurred in service. Left ear hearing loss was not found to be incurred or aggravated by service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The denial of the diabetes rating claim is based on the fact that insulin has not yet been prescribed, which is a critical factor for a higher rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and diabetic retinopathy. The claim for reopening of the diabetes mellitus was granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased rating for diabetes mellitus, did not reopen his claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of new and material evidence, and found that tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The veteran's claim for tinnitus as a direct basis is denied.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, depression, hypothyroidism, an autoimmune system condition, and arthritis are all denied as secondary to service-connected alopecia areata and medications.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence and VCAA notification requirements.

The Board has granted a 20 percent disability rating for the veteran's Type II diabetes mellitus, effective from the date of his claim.

The veteran's claims for an increased rating for diabetes mellitus, service connection for PTSD, and a skin rash secondary to herbicide exposure were all denied. The veteran was not diagnosed with PTSD or a current skin condition related to his military service.

The veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for clarification of his employment history and additional medical evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus, bursitis of the right shoulder, degenerative changes in the cervical spine, hearing loss of the left ear, pansinusitis, diverticulum of the esophagus and duodenum, and heel spurs of the right os calcis. The veteran was not shown to have been exposed to Agent Orange during service.

The Board has determined that proper VCAA notice was not provided and the case must be remanded to provide such notice.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and diabetes as secondary to the veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board denied the appellant's request for an earlier effective date of August 12, 1991, for DIC benefits due to her informal claim received on that date. The decision also noted that there was no information or evidence suggesting a prior claim for service connection.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in a 100% schedular rating as of December 9, 2005. The Board has determined that the preponderance of evidence is against his claim for TDIU due to these conditions.

The veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at St. Luke's Regional Medical Center were not reimbursable due to the availability of a VA facility, and the veteran did not meet all criteria for reimbursement under applicable laws.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed psychiatric disorder, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The veteran's claims for hepatitis C, bilateral leg disability, diabetes, and liver problems secondary to hepatitis C have all been denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions.