Diabetes decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and diabetes mellitus are not related to service, including exposure to herbicides. As such, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran seeks service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and associated disorders, claiming exposure to herbicides during active duty. The Board has ordered additional development including obtaining records of the U.S.S. Southerland's movements in Vietnam.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred as a result of his active service, and he has also been granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities secondary to his diabetes.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for allergic rhinitis and diabetes mellitus due to insufficient evidence in the record, including a lack of VA examination reports. The Veteran is also referred to obtain private treatment records from Dr. J. and Dr. F.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, which include diabetic nephropathy, coronary artery disease, and various neuropathies, preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience.

The Veteran died from sepsis, with other significant conditions contributing to his death. His service-connected DMII was found to have contributed substantially or materially to the cause of his death.

The Veteran's initial staged ratings for diabetic nephropathy with hypertension have been granted, with a 30% evaluation from July 14, 2003 to August 21, 2010. Service connection has also been established for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the percentage requirements for a TDIU, but the weight of medical evidence indicates these conditions do not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the reopening of a claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2, finding that new and material evidence had not been presented to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus was denied as there is no evidence of herbicide exposure during service and the current condition did not manifest within one year of discharge.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus has been dismissed as the appellant requested a withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for laryngeal cancer, cancer of the trachea, and diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure were denied as there is no evidence of in-service disease or injury, and the conditions were not shown within one year of separation from service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and providing VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed conditions.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type 2 is service-connected. The Veteran's retinal bleeding is not related to his service or any service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disorder, depression, diabetes mellitus type II with peripheral vascular disease, and hypertension were not incurred or aggravated by service. The conditions are also not proximately due to a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to address whether the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus aggravated his claimed hypertension. The claim will be reconsidered after this additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II on a presumptive basis due to presumed exposure to herbicides. The Veteran's claims for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities and erectile dysfunction secondary to diabetes mellitus are remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, has been managed with oral medication and a restricted diet since the effective date of service connection. The disability does not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on insulin use or activity restrictions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased ratings for his service-connected diabetes mellitus, cerebrovascular accident with expressive dysphasia, pancreatitis with gastroparesis, and coronary artery disease. The evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under applicable rating criteria.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a personal hearing before a Veterans Law Judge seated at the RO. The issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II; psychiatric disability; and low back disability are pending.