Diabetes decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for a Travel Board hearing at the RO level.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining the specific location of Camp St. Barbara and verifying the Veteran's claimed stressors.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle strain, myopia, and diabetes mellitus. The decision found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim for right ankle strain, and that myopia was not shown to have developed due to an injury during active service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder and diabetes mellitus, finding that new evidence does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim. The Board also found no evidence of herbicide exposure during service.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding no credible evidence of exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand and no competent medical evidence linking the condition to active duty.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have not precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 5, 2013. Beginning on that date, the combined rating of his service-connected disabilities has met the criteria for TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and residuals of a head injury or TBI were not incurred in or aggravated by his active duty military service.

The Veteran's claim for diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease was denied as there is no evidence of such conditions during service or within the presumptive period.,Veteran does not have a current diagnosed disability of diabetes mellitus. The currently diagnosed ischemic heart disease is not related to an in-service injury, disease, or event.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 30, 2008 for the grant of service connection for diabetes mellitus. The earliest effective date is set at May 30, 2008.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is presumed to be related to his in-service herbicide exposure, and the Board grants service connection for this condition. The remaining issues of service connection for hypertension, renal disease, cerebrovascular accident, heart condition, and peripheral neuropathy are remanded due to medical questions that cannot be answered by the Board.

The Board is remanding the claims for service connection due to additional development being required, including VA examinations and consideration of secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, which is presumed due to his in-country service in Vietnam, contributed substantially or materially to his death from liver failure caused by cirrhosis. The claim for service connection for cause of death is therefore granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right talus fracture, right knee arthritis, and other conditions, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure in Korea and the Veteran's diabetes was not shown to be related to service. As a result, the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus. The claim for hepatitis C was also denied as new and material evidence had not been presented.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his Reserve service records and to obtain any outstanding treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal as he died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and will consider the claims again. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is not service connected, but he may have new evidence that could support his claim.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is rated at 20 percent and does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Board finds that his disability picture does not warrant an increased rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and the Board finds that he is entitled to a TDIU.