Diabetes decisions — 2012

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for diabetes mellitus, type II, with erectile dysfunction is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records and a supplemental opinion from a VA examiner.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II was incurred in service and is therefore granted service connection.

The Veteran's death was caused by esophageal carcinoma, which was a contributory cause of his death due to service-connected diabetes mellitus. The Board has determined that the preponderance of evidence supports this conclusion and grants the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination and the issuance of an SOC regarding his hypertension claim.

The Veteran's hypertension is found to be aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. As a result, the Board grants service connection for hypertension as secondary to diabetes.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right and left total knee replacements, diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, bilateral tinnitus, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on this finding.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to incomplete service treatment records and the need for additional medical examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and sleep apnea were not shown to be related to his military service. The Board found that he did not have a current eye disability.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran was exposed to herbicide exposure while serving on the USS Midway and whether this exposure contributed to his type II diabetes mellitus. The case will be returned for further action.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as the Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and hypertension. The claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities) do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU rating. The Board finds that his service-connected conditions alone do not preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II due to presumed exposure to Agent Orange during service. The Veteran's current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, type II, is established and he is granted service connection based on this presumption.

The Veteran's claims for memory problems, diabetes mellitus type II, left ankle injury, and disability exhibited by numbness and cramps in the lower extremities were denied as they are not related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have diabetes mellitus that is related to his military service, and therefore denied the claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's diabetes and heart disease were not caused or aggravated by herbicide exposure in service, as there was no credible evidence of such exposure. The diseases first manifested more than one year after service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is rated as 20 percent disabling, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the current evidence of record.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are denied as there is no credible evidence of radiation exposure during active service, and his claimed conditions are not shown to be related to service or any incident therein.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his service personnel records and readjudication.

The Board denied the claim for DIC benefits based on service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his colon cancer was not caused by a service-connected condition or herbicide exposure.