Diabetes decisions — 2010

The Veteran's service connection claims for type II diabetes mellitus and hypertension were denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and an increased rating for depressive disorder. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Board hearing.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, which include PTSD, diabetes, and cataracts, render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus was denied. The effective date of service connection for PTSD was changed from November 3, 2004 to November 3, 2003. The TDIU claim is pending and will be addressed after the increased rating claim has been fully developed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower and upper extremities, hypertension, erectile dysfunction (ED), and a psychiatric disability have been granted. However, his claim for PTSD has been denied.

The Board finds that none of the service-connected conditions caused or contributed to the Veteran's death. The preponderance of evidence is against granting service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, and the case is remanded for further development including a VA examination to determine his ability to obtain and maintain employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for hypoglycemia prior to July 5, 2007 was granted. For the portion of the appeal period from July 5, 2007, his diabetes mellitus with history of hypoglycemia is rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a private hospital on January 24, 2008 were reimbursed because the condition was an emergency and VA facilities were not feasibly available.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claims for PTSD and diabetes, thus denying these claims as a matter of law.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, which meets the criteria for a higher initial evaluation. The Veteran also has other service-connected disabilities that have led to a TDIU rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus as secondary to IBS, renal failure as secondary to diabetes mellitus, and liver disorder as secondary to IBS. The claim for a higher rating than 30 percent for IBS was also denied.

The Veteran's type 2 diabetes mellitus is not service-connected as it is not due to an event or incident of his period of active service, nor may it be presumed to have been incurred therein. The Board finds that the Veteran's hypertension and coronary artery disease (CAD) did not cause or aggravate his type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to determine if the Veteran's diabetes and associated peripheral neuropathy are related to his military service, including considering whether early signs of diabetes were present during service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is currently rated at 20 percent disabling, and the Board finds that his condition does not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations to assess her current disabilities.

The Veteran's death was not caused by or substantially contributed to by his service-connected conditions. The Board finds that the causes of his death were due to nonservice-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, a psychiatric disorder, and hepatitis C due to presumed exposure to Agent Orange. The evidence did not establish direct causation or link between these conditions and service.