Diabetes decisions — 2007

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service medical records and failure to consider a specific regulation.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. Service connection for diabetes mellitus is not established.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus warrants a 20 percent evaluation, as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on insulin use or dietary restrictions.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure to Agent Orange herbicides. However, there is no current diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and the claim for this condition cannot be granted based on presumptive service connection.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including COPD and PTSD, render him unemployable.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a low back disability, but denied his claim for diabetes mellitus.,VA is seeking to obtain additional medical records from the VA Medical Center in Shreveport, Louisiana.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than November 22, 2004 for the grant of a total disability rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to lack of evidence showing that the veteran filed an informal claim prior to November 2004 or that his service-connected disabilities underwent an increase in severity within one year prior to November 2004.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of depressive disorder, PTSD, or any other service-connected disabilities. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for bilateral diabetic retinopathy and service connection for DJD of the right knee and thoracolumbar spine were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his service-connected residuals of a left knee injury.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, and there is no evidence of record showing that any of his claimed disabilities are related to military service or exposure to ionizing radiation. As such, service connection is denied.

The veteran withdrew his appeal of the claims for increased ratings and TDIU.

The veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation for diabetes mellitus has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The veteran's unauthorized medical services provided by a private hospital were denied as the condition did not constitute an emergency and no VA facilities were feasibly available.

The veteran's claim for macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy is denied as there is no evidence of these conditions.,The veteran's claim for hypertension is denied as the examiner found it not caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, but did not address whether it was aggravated by it.,The veteran's skin rash on the back and neck is denied as there is no evidence of a current condition.

The veteran's petition to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus was received in April 1988, and the RO granted service connection effective from that date. The veteran is seeking an earlier effective date but the Board finds that the earliest possible effective date is April 13, 1988.

The veteran's claim is being remanded for further development to determine the specific extent and severity of his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, including any aggravation or causation by hypertension. The case will be readjudicated after this additional development.

The veteran's application for RH insurance was denied because he did not meet the 'good health' requirements, as his total debits exceeded the allowable number of debits for approval of the insurance.

The veteran's claim for increased evaluation of diabetes mellitus was denied. The Board found that the current evidence did not support a finding of a current disability manifested by fever, and service connection for bilateral foot and leg disorder was also denied due to lack of medical evidence linking the condition to service or Agent Orange exposure.,Service connection for multiple myopathy (presumed due to Agent Orange exposure) was granted. The veteran's skin disorder claim is pending as there are no current findings.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for cardiac arrhythmia, hypertension as secondary to PTSD, diabetes mellitus, Type II as secondary to PTSD and stomach disorders, and osteoarthritis of the right hip, status post total arthroplasty due to cold injury. The appeals were based on direct service connection.