Diabetes decisions — 2006

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, a cardiac disorder (claimed as atrial fibrillation, cardiomyopathy, and congestive heart failure), osteoarthritis, and iron deficiency anemia. The reasons given were lack of evidence linking these conditions to the veteran's period of active service.

The veteran's diabetes requires insulin and a restricted diet, but his activities have not been regulated. Therefore, he does not meet the criteria for a 40 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed to have had its onset in service, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and functional loss issues.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, earlier effective dates for bilateral hearing loss disability and Hepatitis C, and VA compensation for dependents potentially exposed to Hepatitis C virus.

The veteran seeks an increased disability rating for his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus, currently rated at 20 percent. The case is being remanded to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC) in Washington, DC.

The veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and a cardiopulmonary condition, as well as his requests for increased ratings for various disabilities, were denied. The cause of death was not related to any service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus, type I, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is not related to exposure to herbicides. As a result, the claim for service connection is denied.

The veteran's diabetes does not require regulation of activities, and therefore, he is not entitled to a higher rating than the current 20 percent for his service-connected diabetes with diabetic retinopathy.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional information about his in-service stressors and scheduling VA examinations to assess the nature and severity of his PTSD, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, diabetes mellitus, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, and dermatitis. The evidence did not support a current diagnosis of any of these conditions, nor could it establish a link to service.

The veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for additional evaluations and consideration of his diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss, and diabetic retinopathy.

The veteran's degenerative disease of the lumbar spine with facet arthritis is found to be related to service and/or reported injuries therein, warranting service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities did not substantially or materially contribute to his cause of death, which was cardiac arrest due to ischemic cardiomyopathy. The VA doctor concluded that PTSD did not play a role in causing or aggravating the cardiovascular problems.

The Board determined that the veteran's Type II diabetes mellitus and hypertension were not incurred in service or due to herbicide exposure. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current condition and herbicide exposure during service. The Board also found that the use of steroids by VA to treat non-service connected asthma did not result in negligence.

The veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, asthma/emphysema, sleep apnea, and prostate condition are denied as they are barred by law due to the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1103.

The veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral hearing loss were denied. Service connection was not granted for rhinitis, tinea pedis, or recurrent pneumonia.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as the medical evidence did not show that his conditions warranted higher evaluations.