Diabetes decisions — 2008

The Board has granted service connection for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities and assigned an initial rating of 10 percent effective June 10, 2004.

The veteran's TDIU claim is granted as his service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, preclude him from obtaining or maintaining gainful employment.

The veteran's death was caused by his service-connected PTSD, which led to alcohol abuse that contributed to the cause of death. The Board has granted service connection for the cause of death.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and elevated cholesterol level (hypercholesterolemia), finding no evidence of a current disability or a link to service. The claim for hypertension was also denied, as there is no basis in the record for an initial increased evaluation.

The Board denied accrued benefits for the remaining unreimbursed medical expenses, including Medicare premiums and other services, due to insufficient evidence of past medical expenses at the time of the veteran's death.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, as claimed due to herbicide exposure during his military service. The evidence did not show any such exposure and there was no medical opinion linking the current condition to service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, tendonitis of the right elbow, and tendonitis of the left elbow as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has granted service connection for congestive heart failure as secondary to the veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus. The initial evaluation of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus is also granted.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction, finding that the evidence is in equipoise to warrant a determination of service connection. Service connection was also granted for erectile dysfunction as secondary to service-connected diabetes.

The veteran's initial rating for diabetes mellitus was granted at 20 percent, effective March 8, 2005. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating as he does not require insulin.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for cause of death, but denied the claim as there is no evidence linking the veteran's death to his active service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus type II warrants a 20% disability rating, effective October 26, 2003. The current evidence does not support an increase in the disability rating.

The Board has denied the reopening of claims for service connection for depression, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, including exposure to herbicides. The evidence submitted does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The evidence does not support a finding that the veteran's diabetes mellitus is related to service, and there is no medical evidence of its presence within one year after separation from active duty.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, a psychiatric disorder, hypertension, a liver disorder, and a respiratory disorder. The Board found no current diagnoses of these conditions and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to link any of them to service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and assigned a 20 percent disability evaluation effective from November 29, 2005. The veteran's appeal is REMANDED to schedule him for a hearing before the Board at the RO in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, and neuropathy secondary to Type II diabetes mellitus. The decision found that there was no evidence of diabetes during service or within one year after retirement, thus denying direct service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to the veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, a left knee disability, tinea cruris, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus as there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.