Diabetes decisions — 2011

The Board has dismissed the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus and denied the claim for service connection for a heart disorder as secondary to service-connected headaches.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition. The Board found that his diabetes mellitus, which he had been granted service connection for, did not contribute to his death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus Type II, and a vision disorder claimed as secondary to diabetes mellitus Type II. The decision found that although the Veteran had current diagnoses of these conditions, there was no evidence linking them to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's coronary artery disease is aggravated by service-connected diabetes mellitus and PTSD, warranting a grant of service connection for this condition. The claim for retinopathy remains denied as there is no current diagnosis.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for hypertension as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to determine the relationship between the Veteran's hypertension and his service-connected diabetes.

The Veteran claims service connection for diabetes mellitus, which he asserts is due to his exposure to Agent Orange during his service in Korea. The Board has determined that further development is needed to verify the nature and extent of the Veteran's service in Korea and any associated alleged herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is found to be related to his in-service exposure to herbicides and service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Type II Diabetes Mellitus is being remanded to determine if he was exposed to herbicides while serving in Korea during his military service.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for Type Diabetes Mellitus, hypertension, and Parkinson's disease, all claimed as secondary to chemical exposure in Guam. The claims are being remanded due to the need for a VA compensation examination to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The VA determined that the Veteran's coronary artery disease was not caused by his military service, including exposure to Agent Orange. The Board found no evidence of a direct link between the Veteran's service-connected diabetes and his coronary artery disease.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete deck logs for the USS NEW JERSEY, which were requested in prior remands. The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus is being returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, a right foot disorder, and a left foot disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The appellant's claims have been dismissed due to his death, and no longer have jurisdiction.

The Veteran's service-connected type II diabetes mellitus disability is currently rated at 40 percent, which more nearly approximates the criteria for a rating of 40 percent based on symptoms requiring insulin and regulation of activities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II and eczema (claimed as rash/itching), are denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus, type II and left ear tympanic membrane perforation have been denied as the evidence does not show that his conditions are more severe than currently evaluated.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disorder, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, type II are not related to service. The appeal for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to inadequate examinations, need for further development of his employment status, and the inextricability of these issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service in Vietnam qualifies him for presumptive service connection for diabetes mellitus type II due to exposure to Agent Orange. As a result, the claim is granted.

The case is being remanded for additional development of the Veteran's claims, including obtaining complete VA treatment records and providing the Veteran with appropriate examinations to determine the etiology of his conditions.