Diabetes decisions — 2008

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and arranging for a VA examination to assess the current severity of the veteran's diabetes mellitus and its related complications (nephropathy and peripheral neuropathy).

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected Type II diabetes mellitus played a material causal role in his death from liver cancer, and thus grants service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's hypertension, peripheral neuropathy, diabetes mellitus, type II, sleep apnea, and morbid obesity as secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his terminal conditions to his military service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for aid and attendance was granted effective September 13, 2004. The decision is based on his current disabilities and their impact on daily activities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of in-service disease or injury, and thus failing to meet Hickson elements (2) and (3).

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes and infectious hepatitis were denied, while the claim for service connection for a kidney condition secondary to diabetes was also denied.

The Board denied reopening the claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.,The TDIU rating was dismissed as the 100 percent schedular rating for PTSD precludes assignment of a TDIU.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability is denied. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection, and there is no competent medical evidence linking his current heart condition to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the issues of service connection for gout, congestive heart failure, and diabetes mellitus prior to a decision being made.

The Board has remanded the case for further proceedings, including obtaining missing service records and addressing the veteran's disagreement with his initial rating for lumbar spine disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to a separate disability rating of 20 percent for urinary frequency (polyuria) secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus and granted it. The CAD issue is being REMANDED due to lack of recent VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus contributed to his death from metastatic pancreatic carcinoma, and thus grants service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension is not service-connected as it was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus. However, due to a recent amendment in VA regulations regarding secondary service connection, the case is being remanded for further examination and consideration of whether the veteran's coronary artery disease may have aggravated his hypertension.

The veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM) was granted a rating of 40 percent effective July 13, 2006.,A subsequent evaluation in excess of 20 percent for DM from February 17, 2007 is denied.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, urinary frequency, and sexual dysfunction as secondary to diabetes mellitus, all of which were deemed not related to the veteran's active duty service.

The Board found that the veteran's cause of death, diabetes mellitus, was not caused by any incident of service and denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no evidence of diabetes within one year after separation from service and rejecting a VA examiner's opinion.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetic retinopathy and hearing loss were denied, as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under applicable VA rating schedules. Service connection for DDD of the lumbar spine was granted.