Diabetes decisions — 2010

The Board denied the claim for CUE in the effective date of TDIU and also denied the enhanced rate of DIC based on duration of total disability rating prior to death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is service-connected due to combat-related stressors experienced in Vietnam. The diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran seeks service connection for diabetes mellitus, claiming it was caused by herbicide exposure during his service in the Republic of Vietnam. However, due to lack of in-country service and missing service personnel records, the Board has ordered further development including obtaining the Veteran's complete service personnel records file from the appropriate custodian of such records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have caused him to be in need of regular aid and attendance, as he requires assistance with activities such as grooming, preparing meals, and keeping himself safe from the hazards of his daily environment.

The Veteran's Type II diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure to herbicides, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and conducting VA examinations to assess the Veteran's diabetes and diabetic retinopathy. The claim of entitlement to a certificate of eligibility for an automobile and adaptive equipment or for adaptive equipment only is also being remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The case is being remanded for further development and examination.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and is now addressing the diabetes claim, which was previously stayed due to a legal challenge. The Veteran's current PTSD is found to be related to in-service stressors, while his diabetes remains denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2 is denied as there is no credible evidence of herbicide exposure in Thailand and the condition was not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetic retinopathy was denied as he does not currently have the condition. The claim for an initial rating greater than 20 percent for neurogenic bladder is referred to the RO for further adjudication.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone did not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation prior to August 5, 2009.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II did not manifest in service or within one year of separation from service and is not related to any in-service injury or disease, including herbicide exposure during service. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a separate evaluation for his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II with diabetic retinopathy, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluation of his lumbosacral strain are being remanded due to the need for a Statement of the Case, a new VA examination, and obtaining outstanding records.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 20 percent for diabetes mellitus type II was denied by the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II is currently rated at 20 percent and does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as it does not require regulation of activities in addition to insulin and a restricted diet.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and coronary artery disease due to exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. The decision was based on a lack of confirmation of his actual presence in Vietnam or inland waterways, and thus no presumption of exposure to herbicides could be applied.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further examination and review of the claims file, including service treatment records, to determine if there are any early manifestations of diabetes mellitus that could be linked to symptoms documented during service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, and he is in need of regular aid and attendance. The Board finds that the evidence supports a higher level of care due to his service-connected disabilities.

The VA denied the Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, as the evidence did not show that he required regulation of activities due to the condition.