Diabetes decisions — 2010

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further evidentiary development, including VA examinations to assess the impact of his service-connected eye and diabetic disabilities on his ability to work.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the appellant did not provide sufficient evidence to establish exposure to herbicides or other conditions related to Vietnam service. The claims for service connection for the cause of death and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits were denied.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus was not incurred or aggravated by service, and the Board denied presumptive exposure to herbicides as he did not set foot in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not incurred or aggravated during his active service and is not related to any incident of service, including renal glycosuria noted at separation. As a result, the claim for service connection for DM is denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer are granted due to presumed exposure to herbicides during active duty.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, diabetic retinopathy, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities were not incurred in or aggravated by his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, arthritis, and hearing loss due to lack of new and material evidence. The claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits is granted with an effective date of October 7, 2004.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, which he alleges is due to exposure to herbicides during his military service in Korea and Japan, has been remanded. The VA will seek further verification of the Veteran's claimed exposures and conduct additional development before deciding the case.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is not shown to be due to herbicide exposure during service, and the Board finds no basis for presumptive service connection. The claim is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on current medical evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is presumed to be due to his exposure to herbicides during active service in Vietnam.

The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure and concluded that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has ordered additional development to determine if the Veteran experienced additional disability due to a December 2002 VA cervical spine tumor resection surgery, and whether informed consent was obtained in compliance with regulations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and higher initial ratings were denied. The heart disorder claim was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability. The diabetes mellitus claim resulted in a 10% rating, which is the maximum allowed under the criteria. The left and right lower extremity neuropathy claims were granted with each receiving a 20% rating.

The Board has determined that additional action is required due to the possibility of missing records from the Palo Alto VA Medical Center. The case will be remanded for clarification and further review.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, bladder control problem, and bowel incontinence are denied. The Veteran is granted service connection for kidney disorder as a complication of his service-connected type 2 diabetes mellitus with renal insufficiency. Service connection for erectile dysfunction is granted with an initial noncompensable disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to August 14, 2007 for the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) was granted. The effective date is set at November 1, 2005.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple issues related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus and its complications, including peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities. The claims for vision disorder (claimed as diabetic retinopathy and vision problems) are also on appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type 2, diabetic neuropathy of the lower extremities, and hypertension were not incurred in active service or as a result of service-connected disability. These conditions are presumed to be related to exposure to herbicides, but there is no evidence showing such exposure.