Diabetes decisions — 2010

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disorder and diabetes mellitus are being remanded due to incomplete records, including missing service personnel files. The VA is instructed to obtain these records and provide the Veteran with appropriate examinations to determine the etiology of his conditions.

The Veteran's service records show he served in the Republic of Vietnam and was exposed to herbicides, including Agent Orange. The Board grants service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, as it is presumed due to his exposure during service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for diabetes mellitus, type II with peripheral neuropathy of hands and feet was granted. The claim for service connection for hypertension to include as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, was also granted.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus was not incurred in or due to service, and the Board denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II was denied as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicide agents and the disease did not develop during active duty.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and no jurisdiction remains for the claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetic retinopathy and degenerative joint disease (DJD) and degenerative disc disease (DDD) with scoliosis of the lumbar spine, finding no current diagnosis of these conditions and insufficient evidence to support a claim that they were incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran is seeking an increased initial rating for his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II with erectile dysfunction and calcinosis. The case is REMANDED to the RO due to the need to obtain VA medical records from the South Texas Veterans Health Care System - Kerrville Division.

The Board has remanded the claim for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's coronary artery disease is at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's appeal for TDIU rating is being remanded due to the need to obtain SSA records and conduct a VA examination.

The Veteran's service records do not support his claim of in-service exposure to Agent Orange, and there is no evidence linking his diabetes mellitus to his military service. The Board denied the claim as he is not entitled to the presumption that it was incurred in or aggravated by service on the basis of exposure to an herbicide agent during service in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal regarding the reopening of a claim for lung disability secondary to nicotine dependence.

The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus and denied service connection for hypertension, finding that the Veteran's hypertension was not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran meets the schedular percentage threshold criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, and is unemployable solely due to these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that he did not have qualifying service in Vietnam and thus was not eligible for presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure. The Board also found no evidence to support a direct link between his current condition and service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause his death. The VA opinion concluded that the Veteran's fatal cardiac dysrhythmia, coronary artery disease, and metabolic syndrome were not related to military service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death from end stage renal disease is not service-connected, as there is no medical evidence showing a direct link between his service and his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not play a part in the cause of his death, and therefore, he cannot be granted service connection for the cause of his death.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is rated at 20 percent, which meets the criteria for a higher rating. The Board found that his condition does not warrant an increased rating due to lack of episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring hospitalization.