Diabetes decisions — 2009

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and acute and subacute peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence to support a claim based on in-service exposure to herbicides or other conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus is aggravated by his service-connected hepatitis C, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus due to lack of evidence showing an in-service injury or diagnosis. The issue of service connection for a back disorder remains pending as there is insufficient information regarding its etiology.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is being remanded due to incomplete development of his exposure history and medical records. The VA will attempt to verify herbicide exposure and obtain any relevant medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension, as well as his increased rating claims for right knee disability, left knee disability, and left shoulder disability. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service onset or aggravation of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to new and additional evidence being associated with his file, which requires further review by the RO. The Veteran is also requested to provide records related to his application for Social Security Administration disability benefits.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, bilateral retinopathy, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities have been denied as there is no evidence that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by his military service. The Board found that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and thus cannot establish herbicide exposure for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are rated as 80 percent disabling, meeting the minimum requirements for eligibility for an award of TDIU. The VA examiner found that the Veteran should be able to maintain or perform a sedentary type job despite his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's initial increased ratings for diabetes mellitus and bilateral hearing loss were denied. The Veteran was granted a 20 percent rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss effective December 10, 2008.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses from August 15 to August 16, 2007 are granted as the treatment was considered emergent and inpatient care was warranted.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized private medical expenses incurred on October 28, 2007 is granted due to the presence of a service-connected disability and the emergency nature of the treatment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The RO provided the Veteran with multiple opportunities to submit evidence, but he failed to appear at scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and a hearing.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, including as secondary to Agent Orange exposure, is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for diabetes mellitus, type II is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examination and consideration of all relevant evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence of exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam and no link between the current condition and active duty.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for his claimed conditions, including as secondary to herbicide exposure, are denied.

The Veteran seeks service connection for his type II diabetes mellitus, which was evidently diagnosed in 2004. The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and an examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding medical records from Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, California. The Veteran's claims for service connection are pending and will be reconsidered after obtaining these records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and a psychiatric disorder were denied. The Board found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.