Diabetes decisions — 2012

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, carotid artery disease, and diabetes mellitus type II due to secondary to his service-connected sleep apnea. However, these claims are being remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, and nasal polyps. The initial compensable evaluations for chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis were also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence suggesting possible exposure to Agent Orange in Thailand, which could affect the service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing at the RO. The issues are whether he can establish service connection for diabetes mellitus and PTSD, with the latter not linked to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant requested to withdraw it.

The Veteran's gastroesophageal disorder is not service-connected, and the issues of service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus are denied.,Service connection was granted for tinnitus with a 10% rating effective March 6, 2004. The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for type II diabetes mellitus due to exposure to herbicides at Takhli RTAFB, finding that the Veteran's job as a perimeter guard placed him near the base perimeter. The effective date is not specified.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and a back disability, but denied them on their merits. The reopening of the claims is based on new evidence related to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the claims (diabetes mellitus), while the denial of the claims remains unchanged due to lack of material evidence.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is presumed to be due to his in-service exposure to herbicides, specifically Agent Orange. The facial burn residuals are rated at 30 percent based on the characteristics of disfigurement.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension were denied, as the most probative medical opinion on these matters weighs against a nexus to service or service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's increased ratings for post-operative right knee medial femoral condyle osteochondritis dissecans (based on instability) and right knee degenerative joint disease prior to January 27, 2010 were denied as the symptoms did not warrant higher ratings under applicable rating criteria. For the period from October 1, 2011, a TDIU was granted based on the severity of his service-connected disabilities preventing him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including whether they are related to his service-connected liposarcoma.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at his local RO.

The Board found no evidence of a service-connected condition that caused or contributed to the Veteran's death, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of his death.

The Veteran's claimed conditions, including cardiomyopathy, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy, and diabetes mellitus, were not found to be proximately due to or the result of his service-connected disabilities. The claims for secondary service connection were denied.

The Board denied a higher rating for diabetes mellitus, finding that the evidence did not warrant a rating higher than 20 percent.

The Veteran's combined disability rating for service-connected conditions is at least 60%, which meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU. The Board finds that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and its associated peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition.,There is no evidence linking hypertension and diabetes mellitus to the Veteran's service.

The April 2003 rating decision denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus due to a lack of evidence within one year following separation from service.

The Board found new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, Type II. The Veteran's private physician provided a statement indicating that his diabetes mellitus likely began in August 2001.

The Veteran was granted service connection for diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease (diagnosed as coronary artery disease, atherosclerotic heart disease, ischemic heart disease, and ischemic cardiomyopathy), both of which are presumed to be related to his in-service exposure to herbicides.,There is no evidence linking the Veteran's current residuals of a stroke to service. The Board found that the preponderance of the evidence is against this claim.