Diabetes decisions — 2009

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for hypertension. The claims for service connection for hair loss, diabetes mellitus, and prostate cancer have been denied as there is no evidence of a chronic disability manifested by these conditions in service or within one year after discharge.

The Veteran's death was caused by a service-connected disability (subdural hematoma), and the Board finds that his PTSD contributed to this cause of death. The appellant is therefore granted service connection for the cause of her husband's death.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD did not cause or contribute substantially to his death from cardiopulmonary arrest. The claim for DIC was denied as there is no evidence of a service-connected condition contributing to his death. The accrued benefits and non-service-connected burial allowance claims were also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for atherosclerotic heart disease as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected type II diabetes mellitus. The initial rating of 20 percent for type II diabetes mellitus is also granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure in Thailand and no current disability related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for his right elbow disability, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes mellitus are denied. The claim for a higher rating for the right shoulder is also denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's current diagnoses of diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, and skin cancer are not related to his military service, including exposure to herbicides. Therefore, these claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for diabetes mellitus, type II or diabetic retinopathy of the right eye, and denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II was denied as there was no evidence of the disease during service or within one year after discharge, and he did not serve in Vietnam. The Board found that presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure could not be granted due to lack of presence in Vietnam.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not encompass any disability of the eyes or upper extremities, and his lower extremity conditions are not severe enough to qualify for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant.

The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for diabetes mellitus, as there was no credible evidence linking the condition to active service. The appellant's assertions about being diagnosed with diabetes in 1962 or 1963 were deemed unreliable.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus as due to Agent Orange exposure, applying the doctrine of reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for diabetic retinopathy, claimed as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, was denied. The Board found that there is no clinical evidence of diabetic retinopathy in the record.

The Veteran's service treatment records do not show diabetes. He was stationed in Korea, but his unit did not operate near the area sprayed with herbicides. As a result, presumptive service connection based on Agent Orange exposure is denied. The Board finds no credible evidence of actual exposure to herbicides and thus cannot grant direct service connection for diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's death was caused by lung cancer, which is not service-connected. Other significant conditions contributing to his death (atherosclerotic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and chronic lung disease) are also not service-connected.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type 2.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board found that the appellant's diabetes mellitus and heart condition did not manifest during a period of active duty or within one year after separation from such a period. The conditions are also not presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure to certain environments or substances. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claims of increased ratings for diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy, as well as his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD), were denied by the Board. The issues are being remanded for further development.