Diabetes decisions — 2013

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and related complications are not service-connected as they did not manifest during his period of active duty or within one year thereafter. The Board finds that the Veteran's current conditions, including bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy and erectile dysfunction, are not due to disease or injury incurred in service.

The RO denied the claim for service connection for a cyst on the left kidney as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus based on an August 2007 VA examination report.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, Type II, is found to be service-connected.,Service connection for left and right eye disorders due to diabetic retinopathy is granted.,No service connection is granted for the left foot or right foot disorders.,Service connection for left and right shoulder disorders is not established.,The Veteran's sleep disorder (insomnia) and gastrointestinal disorder are not found to be related to service.,Fatigue as a chronic condition is not found to be related to service.,Headache disorder secondary to hypertension is also not found to be related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred on May 10, 2007 at BryanLGH Heart Institute (BHI) because the treatment was not rendered in an emergency situation and a VA facility was feasibly available.

The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity has been rated at 30 percent since March 26, 2012.,The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity has been rated at 30 percent since September 27, 2005.,The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity (dominant) has been rated at 30 percent since March 26, 2012.,The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity (non-dominant) has been rated at 20 percent since September 27, 2005.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II was managed with oral medication and restricted diet prior to March 12, 2013. As of March 12, 2013, the disability required insulin, restricted diet, and regulation of activities.

The Veteran claims service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, alleging exposure to Agent Orange during his active duty in the United States Air Force. The VA has not verified this exposure and needs to conduct further research as per VA procedures.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of his claims file.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is found to be the primary cause of his current diabetic neuropathy and acquired eye disability. PTSD was not incurred or aggravated in service.

The Veteran has withdrawn all of his issues on appeal, including those related to diabetes mellitus, insomnia, retinopathy, skin condition, neck condition, erectile dysfunction, right shoulder disorder, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and shingles. The Board finds that the Veteran's withdrawal constitutes a dismissal of the appeal.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, gynecomastia, and hypogonadism as there was no evidence of herbicide exposure in Thailand. The conditions were not shown to be directly related to service.

The case is being remanded due to the need for clarification of the September 2010 VA examination findings regarding urinary symptoms and their association with erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the severity of his diabetic retinopathy, as well as updated non-duplicative and relevant VA outpatient treatment records.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are granted as service connected. The Board found that his current diagnoses were due to his military service exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of several conditions, including a low back disability and lung disease, are being remanded due to the need for further development. The VA is requested to obtain deck logs from his ship during service and clinical records from an April 1964 hospitalization at Okinawa Naval Hospital.

The Veteran's diabetes and bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are currently rated at 20 percent each, which is the maximum schedular rating available under VA's rating criteria. The Board finds no evidence to support a higher rating for either condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and hypertension may be related to service, but further examination is needed to determine if these conditions are due to herbicide exposure or active service.

The Board determined that the Veteran's anxiety reaction did not contribute to his death, as there was no evidence of a service-connected condition contributing to his underlying conditions. The cause of death listed on the death certificate was respiratory failure due to advanced lung cancer.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including verification of his foreign service and procurement of all outstanding treatment records. Service connection for diabetes mellitus will be reconsidered based on new evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus with cataracts and erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that his condition required regulation of activities or hospitalizations.