Diabetes decisions — 2011

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including VA examinations and consideration of the Veteran's lay evidence. The claims will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's cause of death, respiratory failure, was not related to his service-connected disabilities and denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has found no evidence of tuberculosis related to the Veteran's service in the military. The claims for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and right ear hearing loss are being remanded due to the need for further medical examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy and diabetes mellitus, as well as his requests for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the knees and thrombophlebitis of the right lower extremity, were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of peripheral neuropathy and that any potential relationship to service-connected conditions could not be established.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus and a traumatic dental injury were denied as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to chemical herbicides, and the diabetes mellitus claim could not be granted based on presumptive service connection or direct service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims due to missing service treatment records and a need for additional development, including obtaining medical records from Dr. Cook and unit records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and renal cell carcinoma are not related to his military service, including exposure to herbicides or hazardous chemicals.

The Veteran's death was caused by pancreatic cancer, which was found to be related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.,The claim for DIC benefits pursuant to 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is dismissed as moot due to the grant of service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied due to lack of competent evidence supporting his assertions and diagnoses.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence showing a current diagnosis or persistent/recurrent symptoms of hearing loss. The other claims were not addressed in the decision.

The Board found that the grant of service connection for diabetes mellitus was clearly and unmistakably erroneous as there is no evidence to support its occurrence during active duty. As a result, the claim for severance of service connection for diabetes mellitus was granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by or a result of his service-connected conditions, nor did any service-connected disability contribute substantially or materially to his death. The medical evidence does not support a link between the Veteran's hypertension and his cardiopulmonary arrest.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verification of herbicide exposure and a VA examination to determine if hypertension is secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran was granted a 100% rating for his disabilities effective August 8, 2007. The Board found that the criteria for TDIU were met beginning December 2, 2005.

The Board has determined that chronic Type II diabetes mellitus is a result of service and grants the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is granted service connection due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents used in Vietnam. The issue of service connection for prostate cancer remains pending as the Veteran has not been diagnosed with this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence from his treating physician.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2 was denied as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides and the disability did not manifest within one year of separation from service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis was granted, but he is still seeking an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for his diabetes mellitus.