Diabetes decisions — 2014

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus, type II, as both conditions are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during his service in Korea.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have service in Vietnam and thus could not be presumed to have been exposed to herbicides. The evidence does not support a finding of secondary service connection for diabetes mellitus, eye disability, or erectile dysfunction as they are not linked to active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and eye condition were not present during service or for many years thereafter and are not otherwise etiologically related to service. Therefore, service connection is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete examination reports regarding his diabetic nephropathy. The case will be readjudicated after a new examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and to schedule a video-conference hearing with the Veteran.

The Board has granted a TDIU for the period of January 9, 2003 to January 24, 2012 due to service-connected disabilities including diabetes mellitus and PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding that the use of beta blockers prescribed for his hypertension caused or aggravated his diabetes.

The Veteran was granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II due to presumed exposure to herbicides during his Vietnam-era service. The issue of service connection for multiple actinic keratosis and skin cancers, which the Veteran withdrew from appeal, remains unresolved.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, sexual impotence, and recurring increases in blood sugar are related to his service-connected conditions (GERD with gastroesophageal reflux disease and PTSD).

The Veteran died from blunt force injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident. The cause of death is not service-connected as his diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease did not contribute to the accident.

The Board has determined that the cause of death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and therefore, denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including type II diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, neuropathy, chronic kidney disease, and prostate cancer, are not related to his military service or any exposure to DDT therein. As a result, these claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development, specifically requiring an addendum opinion on whether the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus has aggravated his bilateral cataracts. The claim will be returned for further action.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II with onychomycosis and erectile dysfunction is rated at 20 percent. The Veteran's diabetic nephropathy is rated at 60 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and arthritis of the joints are not related to her military service.,There is no evidence showing these conditions were present during or within one year after separation from active duty.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as his service-connected disabilities (coronary artery disease, peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper and lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction) result in a combined 80% rating and preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II was granted service connection as incurred during a period of ACDUTRA. Service connection for the right shoulder disability and right elbow disability were also granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that new and material evidence was not submitted. The Court affirmed this decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for a VA examination. The claims will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.