Diabetes decisions — 2013

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was pre-existing and not aggravated by her active service, thus service connection is denied.

The Board finds that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and therefore, service connection for the cause of his death is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and chronic lymphocytic leukemia are not related to his active military service, including exposure to herbicides. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased sarcoidosis and service connection for diabetes mellitus are being remanded due to his failure to report for a VA examination. The case will be reviewed after the necessary development is completed.

The Veteran's appeals were denied on the grounds that there was no evidence of a service connection for any of the conditions he claimed, and his claims for increased ratings were also denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection was received on September 26, 2006. The effective date of the award of VA benefits based on service connection for diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction and special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ is set at September 26, 2006, with an additional one-year grace period due to the Veteran's failure to return the signature page. The decision was granted.

The Board finds that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and thus, cannot be presumed to have been exposed to herbicides. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for any of the claimed disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus, benign prostatic hypertrophy and peripheral vascular disease of the lower extremities were not granted due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The claim for a skin disability was previously denied in March 2003 but has been reopened.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including nephropathy, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his disabilities. The Board has granted TDIU based on the combined effect of these conditions.

The Veteran's Type II Diabetes Mellitus was not incurred in or aggravated by his military service and may not be presumed to have been, including on account of exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus Type 2 and hypertension require further examination to determine appropriate ratings, and his TDIU claim must be remanded for a VA vocational rehabilitation specialist to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus did not manifest in service or for many years thereafter and is unrelated to service. As the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam, he cannot be presumed to have been exposed to herbicides during his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, claimed as due to herbicide exposure, was denied because there is no persuasive evidence of herbicide exposure or actual exposure during his period of service.

The Veteran's bilateral cataracts are found to be related to her service-connected diabetes. The initial rating for Type I Diabetes Mellitus remains at 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for issuance of a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC) on all issues, including service connection for thyroid disorder and diabetes mellitus. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include depression will be deferred until the outcome of the thyroid disorder claim is determined.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities has been denied. The Board found no evidence of current diagnosis or etiology supporting this claim. For his left eye diabetic retinopathy, the Board will need additional information and a medical opinion to determine if it is related to diabetes.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II; neuropathy; congestive heart failure; and renal failure. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for Type II Diabetes Mellitus with erectile dysfunction and associated peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity were granted, with a rating of 40 percent effective November 14, 2011. The claim for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy was also granted, but at a separate 10 percent rating.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and skin cancer, finding no evidence of herbicide exposure in Korea. The Veteran's unit was not located near the DMZ where Agent Orange was used.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic uveitis of the right eye and secondary glaucoma, diabetes mellitus, type II, peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.