Diabetes decisions — 2013

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus is not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II with erectile dysfunction is currently rated at 20 percent. The ratings for his peripheral neuropathies of the upper and lower extremities are all denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's diabetes mellitus. The issue of TDIU is also being addressed due to its inextricability with the increased rating claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and disorders of the buttocks and groin are denied as there is no credible evidence of herbicide exposure or a link to service.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have in-country service or documented exposure to herbicides, and thus could not establish service connection for any of his claimed disabilities on a presumptive basis. The preponderance of evidence was against each claim.

The Veteran's bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities is currently rated at 30 percent, and no higher. His bilateral hearing loss was not incurred during service, but hypertension secondary to diabetes mellitus is service-connected.

The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, type II, related to service or herbicide exposure. As such, the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, was denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities were denied as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other causative factors, and the conditions are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and kidney disorder as the evidence did not show actual exposure to Agent Orange during service, and there was no other basis for granting these claims.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, which is the highest possible rating. The bilateral cataracts are secondary to his service-connected Type II Diabetes Mellitus and granted as a separate condition. His initial ratings for coronary artery disease remain unchanged but with an effective date of August 3, 2011. Service connection was established for PTSD prior to this date. A TDIU claim is pending.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was rated at 40 percent effective April 6, 2013. The initial compensable ratings for peripheral neuropathy in the upper and lower extremities were granted effective March 17, 2012. The TDIU claim is granted effective November 26, 2007.

The Board found no verified military stressor event, and thus denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD). The Veteran's claim of diabetes mellitus, type II, is also denied due to lack of evidence supporting a nexus to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, to include as due to the service connected PTSD, diabetes mellitus and/or coronary artery disease is being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were denied. The initial evaluation for diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction was granted, but the claim for hypertension was not addressed as it arose after a grant of service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and nerve damage to the outer left thigh due to their inextricability with a pending claim for service connection for a kidney disability. The Veteran's other claims are being remanded.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, and the evidence does not support a higher rating as he has not required regulation of activities due to his diabetes.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining verification of the Veteran's periods of ACDUTRA or INACDUTRA service and any relevant medical records. The Veteran will also be scheduled for a VA examination to determine if his diabetes and heart disorder are related to his Reserve service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and its secondary effects, as they were not shown to be related to active service or any presumptive exposure conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus did not have onset during service or within one year of separation, and there is no evidence linking it to his military service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2 and finds that it is at least as likely as not due to his presumed exposure to Agent Orange during service in Vietnam. Service connection is therefore granted.