Diabetes decisions — 2014

The Veteran's right renal cell carcinoma is related to his service-connected hypertension, and the RO granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's DM and hypertension are service-connected. The claim for headaches, bilateral foot disorders, low back disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder is reopened.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain additional medical records and determine whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities were a principal or contributory cause of his death, including metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma.

The Board has ordered additional records to be obtained, including those from the Veteran's endocrinologist. The case will be remanded for further review and an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's diabetes mellitus contributed to his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have diabetes mellitus and therefore cannot establish service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is related to in-service herbicide exposure, and will be reconsidered after this development.

The Board denied service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2, vision disability, peripheral neuropathy of all extremities, and acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) as not being related to military service or herbicide exposure.

The Board found that the Veteran's cause of death, myocardial infarction, was not service-connected and did not result from a service-connected condition. The Board also determined that neither diabetes nor PTSD contributed substantially to the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not incurred or aggravated by active duty, nor may such incurrence or aggravation be presumed. The evidence does not establish herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability during the pendency of the claim. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a hearing loss disability at any time since May 2005, and therefore, service connection could not be granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides during service, and therefore diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been caused by his exposure. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is insufficient evidence to establish a link between current hearing loss disability and military noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was likely exposed to herbicides during his military service, and therefore grants service connection for diabetes mellitus due to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board found that the appellant was not permanently incapable of self-support by reason of a mental or physical condition prior to attaining the age of 18, and thus denied DIC benefits as an adult helpless child.

The Board determined that the cause of death was not due to service-connected conditions, and denied claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus on substitution for accrued benefits purposes.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy were denied as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after service, and the conditions are not presumed related to herbicide exposure. The Board found that direct service connection was not established.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for any of the claimed conditions, as there is no evidence of a nexus between his current disabilities and his military service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II was found to be due to his in-service exposure to herbicides, specifically Agent Orange. As a result, the Board granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetic neuropathy is caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II and grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus type II, finding that the evidence does not support a higher evaluation based on regulation of activities. The issue of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to failure to provide a Statement of the Case.