Diabetes decisions — 2006

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for diabetes mellitus and associated peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, as well as his service connection claims. The effective date issue is also being remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than February 16, 2001 for the award of service connection for diabetes mellitus as his claim was not filed prior to that date.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus was not manifested in service or within the first post-service year, and there is no competent evidence relating his diabetes to service. The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus as it did not meet the criteria of direct service connection.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus requires insulin and a restricted diet, but does not require regulation of activities. Therefore, the initial rating in excess of 20 percent is denied.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent disabling, and the Board finds no basis for a higher evaluation.

The veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, and his hypertension with coronary artery disease does not meet the criteria for service connection. The TDIU claim was denied as the combined disability rating of 70% does not result in unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus, which requires insulin and a restricted diet but does not limit his activities, warrants only a 20 percent evaluation.

The Board found that the veteran did not serve in Vietnam, was not exposed to Agent Orange, and there is no competent evidence linking diabetes mellitus to service. As a result, the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied.

The veteran died in March 1991 due to Koch's pulmonary and diabetes mellitus. The death certificate shows that these conditions were the immediate cause of his death, with diabetes mellitus being a significant contributing factor. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board found that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of irritable bowel syndrome, hypoglycemia, or diabetes mellitus and thus denied service connection for these conditions.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claim of service connection for Type 2 diabetes mellitus or tinnitus, and denied both claims.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, finding no current evidence of the condition and thus denying the claim.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for hypertension was denied as the evidence did not show a diastolic pressure predominantly at 100 or more, which is required for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that the veteran's exposure to Agent Orange during his tour in Korea is at least as likely as not (50 percent or greater probability). The secondary service connection claims for diabetic-related peripheral neuropathy and diabetic retinopathy are also granted.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a benign tumor of the meninges and Type 2 diabetes mellitus were denied. The RO found that these conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the veteran's failure to report for scheduled examinations, and additional development is needed to determine if diabetes mellitus and hypertension are service-connected.

The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus, Type II, was not due to disease or injury incurred in service and could not be presumed to have been caused by exposure to herbicides (Agent Orange). As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied the appellant's request to reopen her claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that new and material evidence had not been received.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 70% disabling, diabetes mellitus and skin rash are not service-connected, but peptic ulcer disease secondary to PTSD is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence of exposure to Agent Orange during his military service and insufficient medical nexus evidence linking the condition to his time in Vietnam.