Diabetes decisions — 2008

The VA denied an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for the veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II. The evidence showed that treatment required oral hypoglycemic agents and a restricted diet but not insulin or regulation of activities.

The veteran's claim for additional vocational rehabilitation benefits under Chapter 31 was denied as the evidence did not show he could no longer work in his previously rehabilitated occupation due to worsening of his service-connected diabetes mellitus or that the occupation was unsuitable due to his employment handicap.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding no current diagnosis of the condition and noting that his symptoms were not indicative of diabetes.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the veteran's Type II diabetes mellitus is related to service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy of his lower and upper extremities, as well as diabetes mellitus. The evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions warranted higher evaluations.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions related to his military service, and thus denied all claims for service connection.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus does not warrant a rating greater than 20 percent, as his condition requires daily insulin use and a restricted diet but does not necessitate regulation of activities.

The Court has determined that service connection should be restored for the veteran's diabetes and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities.

The VA denied the appellant's claims for increased evaluations for diabetes mellitus and service connection for PTSD. The initial rating for diabetes mellitus was not granted, and the evaluation for PTSD was also denied.

The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus did not arise during his honorable service period and is not related to his second period of active service, which was characterized by a resignation for the good of the service. The RO's decision denying service connection for diabetes mellitus was upheld.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the submission of additional pertinent medical evidence and new evidence since the last Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The veteran's cause of death was not related to his service-connected conditions, and he did not meet the criteria for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his military service, including exposure to herbicides. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence is not new and material to reopen the claim for service connection for low back disability, hypertension (claimed as secondary to type II diabetes mellitus), and coronary artery disease (claimed as secondary to type II diabetes mellitus).

The veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy are denied as they do not meet the criteria for service connection. The claim for a skin rash is also denied due to lack of evidence linking it to Agent Orange exposure.

The veteran's claims for service connection for multiple myeloma, diabetes mellitus, and essential tremors were denied as there is no evidence of a causal relationship between these conditions and his active service.,Specifically, the Board found that the veteran did not engage in a radiation risk activity during his military service. The evidence does not support a grant of presumptive service connection based on exposure to ionizing radiation.

The veteran's service-connected diabetic neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities were granted increased ratings to 40 percent effective April 8, 2008.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated as 20 percent disabling. The issues of increased ratings for diabetic neuropathy and erectile dysfunction are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination and consideration of the veteran's claim for service connection for a cardiovascular disorder secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.