Diabetes decisions — 2010

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD is remanded.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type 2 with mild, non-proliferative retinopathy and early nephropathy is currently rated at 20 percent. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the right lower leg and left lower leg are both rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus, essential hypertension, and other disorders. The decision was based on a direct service connection theory without any evidence of secondary or aggravation connections.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed coronary artery disease is at least as likely as not due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection and special monthly compensation were denied as there is no legal basis to assign an earlier date.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hypertension and diabetes mellitus are being remanded to the RO/AMC for additional development, including obtaining medical records from VA facilities and providing proper VCAA notice.

The Veteran's hypertension is not service-connected due to herbicide exposure or any other event of his period of active service. The Board denied the claim as there was no evidence showing a relationship between his hypertension and his service-connected diabetes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, does not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating higher than 20 percent since September 29, 2002.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee disability and Type II diabetes were denied by the RO. The specific issues addressed included an increase in rating for a left knee condition, another for traumatic arthropathy associated with that condition, and one for Type II diabetes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss and initial ratings for diabetes mellitus were denied. The claim for a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss was not addressed as it is not part of the appeal.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions including Parkinson's disease and tremors, a respiratory disorder claimed as asbestos exposure, diabetes mellitus, high cholesterol, hypertension, prostate disability, and a respiratory disability (claimed as allergies, hay fever, and asthma). The claims were either not supported by the evidence or new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen previously denied claims.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to new and material evidence submitted by the appellant. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's diabetic nephropathy with hypertension and atherosclerotic heart disease of the internal carotid and vertebral arteries and impotence has been rated at 60 percent, reflecting constant albuminuria with some edema.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is proximately due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus grants the claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus was denied as there is no evidence that regulation of his activities has been prescribed to treat the condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional action, including arranging for a VA examination and obtaining any additional evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran was not exposed to herbicides during service and thus could not establish a presumption of exposure. The evidence did not support a finding of direct causation for prostate cancer or diabetes mellitus, leading to denial of both claims.

The Veteran is over 65 years of age and has a combined rating of 80 percent due to non-service connected disabilities, meeting the requirements for SMP at the housebound rate.

The Veteran's gastroparesis has been rated at 30 percent, effective from the date of his claim. His peripheral neuropathy of the left and right upper extremities have also been granted with initial ratings of 30 and 20 percent respectively.

The Board is remanding the case for a video conference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO. The Veteran's claim of reopening service connection for GERD and his claim for diabetes will be reviewed.