Diabetes decisions — 2011

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and maintaining some form of substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 were denied as there was no evidence of exposure to Agent Orange during his service, and the claimed conditions are not related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were denied. The claim for service connection of bilateral hearing loss was not considered as it is not related to active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus secondary to Agent Orange exposure, chronic anemia as secondary to prostate cancer and Agent Orange exposure, skin cancer, lumbar spine disability, and residuals of a right leg burn have been denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for further development of his claims, including a VA examination and adjudication of intertwined issues. The TDIU claim will be reconsidered based on all evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to his request for a Travel Board hearing. The case will be returned to the RO after the hearing.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a cerebrovascular accident with right hemiparesis due to ischemic stroke, which he claims is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II. The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the claim can be decided.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, is currently rated at 20 percent and does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Board finds that there is no evidence of regulation of activities due to his DM.

The Veteran's combined disability evaluation is 70 percent, and he does not meet the criteria for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not incurred or aggravated by active service and is not related to exposure to herbicides. The diabetic neuropathy and erectile dysfunction due to diabetes mellitus are also not related to active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, finding that the Veteran's presence in Vietnam is presumed due to his exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board found that there is no evidence of herbicide exposure in Vietnam and thus the presumption for diabetes mellitus, type II, does not apply. The Veteran's hypertension was also denied as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and diabetes mellitus, type II are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is currently rated at 20 percent and the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus and finds that it is related to his military service, granting the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, Type II, as presumed due to herbicide exposure. The issues of entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction and gastroesophageal reflux disease remain pending.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, which he claims was caused by herbicide exposure during his time in the DMZ of Korea. The Board has ordered additional development to include obtaining a complete service personnel file and verifying any potential herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the RO increased his ratings for adhesive capsulitis of both shoulders. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was rated as 20 percent disabling, and he was granted peripheral neuropathy in both lower extremities. Service connection for foot degenerative joint disease, metatarsalgia, fat pad atrophy, and hypertension were not established.

The February 2005 rating decision denying service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is final. New evidence received since that decision does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.