Diabetes decisions — 2012

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employment and daily activities.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for low back disability and denied it on the merits. Service connection was also denied for obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and sleep apnea as secondary to obesity.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a dose estimate of his total exposure to ionizing radiation due to his work duties and all sources of ionizing radiation (including alpha, beta, gamma and neutron).

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer were denied as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides.,Both conditions are not shown to have had onset during service, nor are they related to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, to include as secondary to herbicide exposure during service, is denied. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service herbicide exposure or development of the condition within one year after discharge from service.

The Board has determined that there is no competent and credible evidence of peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity or right upper extremity. Therefore, the Veteran's claims for service connection are denied.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus was denied, and the effective date for this award is November 5, 2009.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus type 2 and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities prior to February 28, 2011 were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA regulations.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was rated at 10 percent from October 10, 2007 to February 4, 2008. The rating was granted as the condition did not require insulin or oral hypoglycemic agent in addition to restricted diet.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for residuals of shrapnel wounds, diabetic neuropathy, and coronary artery disease are denied as there is no evidence to support a service connection relationship.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (diabetes mellitus type 2, coronary artery disease, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity) prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on this evidence.

The Veteran seeks service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II. The Board has remanded the case to obtain additional medical records and an examination, as well as review of certain documents related to herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the evidence received since the December 2004 rating decision is not new and material, thus denying the reopening of the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left eye disability is not related to service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during service and that his current condition is not related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and blurred vision (diabetic retinopathy) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus, type II and peripheral neuropathies of the upper and lower extremities has been denied or granted with effective dates ranging from September 10, 2010.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is rated at 40 percent, effective prior to April 8, 2005 for the grant of SMC due to erectile dysfunction. The Veteran's coronary artery disease remains rated at 60 percent.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before a decision on the merits may be made regarding service connection for cause of the Veteran's death. The appeal will be remanded to the RO/AMC for additional actions.