Diabetes decisions — 2009

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus with decreased visual acuity, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction. The conditions were not shown during or within one year after service, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may it be presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure to herbicides.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, and therefore cannot establish service connection for this condition. The claim is denied.

The Board has reopened the claim for diabetes mellitus but denied the claims for hypertension, hearing loss, and tinnitus as new and material evidence was not submitted. Service connection is granted for an eye disability resulting from dental trauma in service. The Veteran's other claims remain denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus and heart disorder are being reviewed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease, attributing it to direct service connection rather than secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's diabetic retinopathy was initially rated as noncompensable, but a June 2005 rating decision granted an increased evaluation of 10 percent effective February 25, 2005. The Board found that the evidence supported a higher rating from September 28, 2005, and remanded for further development.

The Board determined that the Veteran's service connection for diabetes mellitus with oculopathy and progressive neuropathy, based on presumed exposure to herbicides as indicated by his Vietnam Service Medal, was clearly and unmistakably erroneous due to lack of actual service in Vietnam. As a result, the rating decision granting this condition was severed.

The Veteran's death was not caused by the carelessness, negligence, or lack of proper skill on the part of VA medical providers during his hip surgery. The Board finds that no additional disability or death was proximately caused by VA.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, coronary artery disease with congestive heart failure, and diabetes mellitus were denied as there was no current diagnosis of these conditions at the time of his death. The claim for agnogenic myeloid metaplasia with myelofibrosis, claimed as bone cancer with anemia, was not addressed due to lack of a current diagnosis.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn for the issues of Parkinson's disease, diabetes, heart condition, arthritis, and sleep apnea.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes did not contribute to his death, and thus denied service connection for the cause of death. The claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 was also denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher evaluations for type II diabetes mellitus and service connection for multiple myopathy, finding that there was no evidence of a causal relationship between his diabetes and multiple myopathy.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for foot fungus, arthritis, and diabetes mellitus as secondary to cold injury residuals of the feet. The claim was previously denied in March 1958 and again in August 2002.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder. The claim for Type II diabetes mellitus is being remanded due to the need for clarification of etiology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence of a relationship between his military service and the condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, including as a result of herbicide exposure (Agent Orange), is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence regarding his alleged service in Vietnam.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral eye disorder other than senile cataracts and hypertension, as well as an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss. The evidence did not support the presence of these conditions in service or due to service-connected diabetes mellitus type 2.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and arranging VA examinations.