Diabetes decisions — 2010

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD meets the criteria for a 100 percent disability rating since May 22, 2002. The Veteran is granted an increased evaluation of 100 percent for PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety disorder and diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other conditions leading to these disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of diabetes mellitus or hypertension, and there is insufficient evidence to establish a service connection for these conditions. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) remains pending as remanded.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the Board is dismissing the case.

The Veteran's medical expenses for treatment of congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and thyroid were reimbursed as they fell under the criteria for payment or reimbursement in a non-VA facility.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not incurred during service and is not related to his military service, including as secondary to Agent Orange exposure. The other issues of diabetic retinopathy and peripheral artery disease were also denied.

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

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus. The initial evaluation for diabetes mellitus remains at 20 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, heart disability, and prostate disability. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and his military service or any aspect thereof.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for diabetes mellitus, type II is being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining VA treatment records and an eye examination.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and may not be presumed to have resulted from herbicide exposure. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against the claim.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, finding that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and was not exposed to herbicides. The claim is also denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a link between any past injury and the current condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for asbestosis, high cholesterol, hypertension, and elevated eye pressure to include glaucoma were denied. The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus, type II was granted with a rating of 20%. His claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was also granted.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus was granted, and the effective date for service connection for his complications due to type II diabetes mellitus was set at September 10, 2003. The TDIU award was also granted with a retroactive effective date of September 10, 2003.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including heart condition, blocked nose, skin condition, spinal cord or low back injury, respiratory disorder (claimed due to asbestos exposure), and other conditions. The evidence does not support a finding of service origin for these conditions.

The Veteran's death was caused by multiple conditions unrelated to his service, and thus he cannot be granted service connection for the cause of his death.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction are all rated at the maximum allowed under the rating schedule. The Board found that the criteria for a higher rating were not met due to lack of evidence showing regulation of activities required by diabetes or associated pathology warranting a separate compensable rating for erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule him for VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is currently rated at 20 percent and does not warrant a higher rating. Service connection for hypertension due to in-service herbicide exposure or service-connected diabetes mellitus was denied.

The Veteran's diabetes has been rated at 20 percent, the highest rating available under VA regulations. The Board found that his condition did not warrant a higher rating as it did not meet the criteria for a 40 percent rating due to regulation of activities.