Diabetes decisions — 2007

The veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is found to have contributed to the amputation of his right leg above the knee.,The veteran meets criteria for a certificate of eligibility for financial assistance in purchasing an automobile or adaptive equipment due to loss of one foot.,Special monthly compensation based on anatomical loss of one foot is granted.,Temporary total rating for convalescence period following surgery resulting from service-connected disabilities is denied.

The veteran's appeal was denied as his claim for service connection for Charcot's disease, and the RO's rating decisions of November 1976 and April 1981 were found to be correct.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for cause of death and eligibility for dependents' educational assistance (DEA) as there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between the veteran's service, his service-connected condition, or any other conditions leading to his death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus, hypertension, varicose veins, and bilateral cataracts and pseudophakia did not manifest within one year of his separation from service in October 1994. The VA examiners concluded that these conditions are more likely unrelated to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus is not related to service and cannot be presumed due to herbicide exposure. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board denied an increased rating for type II diabetes mellitus, finding that the disability currently meets the criteria for a 20 percent rating.

The RO denied an increased rating for diabetes mellitus, type 2 and did not address the TDIU claim.

The Board finds that the veteran's claims for service connection for multiple myeloma, diabetes mellitus, and impotence are denied as there is no evidence of a direct relationship to his military service or exposure to ionizing radiation. The veteran's conditions were not incurred in service.

The veteran's claims for increased initial ratings on appeal have been denied. The RO has granted service connection for the disabilities, but did not assign any specific disability rating.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus and its secondary effects, including coronary artery disease with hypertension, myocardial infarction residuals, and cerebrovascular accident (CVA) residuals. The decision also grants secondary service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's cause of death, chronic renal failure due to type-2 diabetes, was not caused by or related to his service-connected conditions. The Board found no evidence that the veteran's psychiatric disorder contributed substantially or materially to his death.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease as secondary to diabetes mellitus, finding that no claim for service connection prior to June 1, 2004 was received.

The Board found that the veteran's type II diabetes mellitus was not incurred in or aggravated by service, including exposure to herbicides. The claim is denied.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II was dismissed as he withdrew his appeal.,Service connection for ulcerative colitis was reopened based on new and material evidence.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed due to service in Vietnam, and the effective date for this condition cannot be earlier than May 8, 2001 as per a court decision.

The veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, left kidney condition, thyroid condition including cyst, and asthma were denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 and service connection for diabetes secondary to medication used for his bronchial asthma, finding no evidence of faulty or negligent VA treatment causing excessive radiation, and insufficient medical evidence linking the diabetes to his bronchial asthma.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for cause of death, Lyme disease for purposes of accrued benefits, nonservice-connected death pension benefits, and DIC under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia as secondary to type II diabetes mellitus due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus does not warrant a higher initial rating than 20 percent.