Diabetes decisions — 2013

The Veteran's service connection claims for type II diabetes mellitus, a kidney disorder, and a heart disorder are granted as they are presumed to be related to his military service due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations to determine the etiology of his sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional service and personnel records, clarify his actual dates of active service, provide Kent-compliant notice for the left shoulder disability claim, schedule VA examinations for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and a left knee disability, and readjudicate all issues on appeal.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer were not present in service or until many years thereafter, and there is no competent evidence of a causal connection between the claimed disabilities and military service or any incident therein, to include any exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, type II diabetes mellitus, a skin disorder, and a left ankle disorder. The Board found that there was no current diagnosis of type II diabetes mellitus and that the Veteran did not have a diagnosed left ankle disorder during his military service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is rated at 20 percent, and his peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities are both rated at 40 percent. The effective date for these ratings is July 13, 2005.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of relevant VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded due to the need for a more current VA examination of his diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete records and the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD meets the requirements for a schedular TDIU since September 14, 2010.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, due to exposure to herbicides (Agent Orange) was denied as his service did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection based on his service aboard a ship in coastal waters of Vietnam.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected diabetes mellitus was denied as the evidence did not show that it required regulation of activities (in addition to insulin and restricted diet).

The Veteran incurred private medical expenses at the Regional Medical Center-Bayonet Point on December 17, 2009 for a nonservice-connected condition. The Board finds that payment is warranted as the emergency treatment was necessary due to the severity of symptoms and the unavailability of VA facilities.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as it has not required regulation of activities in addition to diet and insulin.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and therefore, the claim for service connection for the cause of death is denied. The appellant also failed to meet the criteria for service connected burial benefits as she already received an allowance for funeral and burial expenses.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling new VA examinations to assess the severity of his diabetes mellitus, type II and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity. The TDIU claim will also be addressed.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the legs, and erectile dysfunction have been denied. The claim for an earlier effective date for the separate disability ratings for peripheral artery disease in both legs has also been denied. The issues of service connection for hypertension and TDIU are being remanded.

The Veteran meets the percentage requirements for TDIU due to his anxiety disorder and diabetes mellitus, type II. The Board also granted service connection for hypertension and erectile dysfunction as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, finding that the Veteran did not have a current disability related to his active service. The Board also found no evidence of herbicide exposure during service.