Diabetes decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus does not require insulin, restricted diet, and regulation of activities to warrant a higher rating. The current 20% disability rating for diabetes mellitus is denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for neuropathy as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type I, with retinopathy and for evaluations in excess of 60 percent for diabetes mellitus, type I, with retinopathy. The claim for residuals of Graves' disease is also denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have diabetes mellitus, hypertension, a back disability, or residuals of heat stroke as a result of service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Board has granted a 60 percent evaluation for the veteran's Type I diabetes mellitus with nephropathy and diabetic retinopathy, which was previously evaluated as 20 percent disabling.

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

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is related to his military service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, claimed as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The veteran's service-connected diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities has been rated based on its severity. Prior to July 13, 2005, a rating in excess of 10 percent was not warranted for either lower extremity. From July 13, 2005, a higher rating than 30 percent is also not supported by the evidence. The veteran's TDIU claim has been granted.

The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for diabetes mellitus, the maximum available under the applicable diagnostic code. The veteran's disability from diabetes is not more nearly approximated by a higher rating due to complications such as hospitalizations or visits to diabetic care providers.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as he has not provided evidence that his conditions prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, eye disability, and depression were denied. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or herbicide exposure.,Claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a right below-the-knee amputation and renal failure were also denied.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his hypertension, as well as whether he is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities. The examination reports must be reviewed for compliance before readjudication.

The veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus and diabetic peripheral neuropathy were found to be mildly disabling, warranting a 10 percent rating for each lower extremity.

The Board denied the appellant's claim of entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no evidence of exposure to herbicides and insufficient evidence linking the current disability to service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting a VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, Type II due to herbicide exposure and did not reopen the claim for degenerative joint and bone disease and fibrositis.

The veteran is seeking service connection for diabetes mellitus and an increased rating for his right knee disorder. The Board has determined that additional development, including VA examinations, is needed to properly evaluate these claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, including CNS sarcoidosis and its secondary effects such as pancytopenia, seizure disorder, perirectal abscesses, left thigh abscess, diabetes mellitus, and abnormal liver function tests, were not incurred or aggravated by service. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's claim for increased ratings for cervical disc disease and erectile dysfunction was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable evaluation for erectile dysfunction, as there was no deformity of the penis.

The veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus, low back strain, and tinea cruris. The issues include seeking higher evaluations for these conditions as well as obtaining an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.