Diabetes decisions — 2014

The Veteran's diabetes and heart disorder are presumed to be related to his service due to herbicide exposure. The Board also finds that the Veteran is unable to obtain and maintain any form of substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for diabetes was denied, but the Board found new and material evidence to reopen his previously denied claim of service connection for hepatitis C.,The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy was evaluated as 10 percent disabling.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his diabetes, hypertension, right foot numbness, and sleep disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and an examination. The current rating of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus Type 2 will remain unchanged until further notice.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and examination reports. The case will be readjudicated after these materials are obtained.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II due to exposure to Agent Orange as there is no evidence of herbicide exposure during his service in Thailand. The Veteran's service records do not indicate that he was exposed to herbicides while serving in Thailand, and his duties did not involve patrolling the perimeter of the air base.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to insufficient medical information and a need for updated examinations. The Veteran is currently seeking TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities, but the effectiveness of these conditions in preventing employment remains unclear.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes, which is presumed due to his service in Vietnam, contributed to his death from pancreatic cancer. Therefore, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and diabetes mellitus type II, finding no evidence of a verified in-service stressor or combat exposure that would support a diagnosis of PTSD. The acquired psychiatric disorder was not shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and hypertension were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and the Board finds no evidence of herbicide exposure during his military service. As such, service connection is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including early diabetes mellitus type II (DM-II), diabetic nephropathy associated with DM-II, supraventricular and ventricular ectopy associated with DM-II, mild sensory peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities, appendectomy scar, and erectile dysfunction associated with DM-II, are deemed to be sufficient for a TDIU. However, the VA examinations conducted in 2008 do not address the impact of these disabilities on his ability to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining the Veteran's pay records from his foreign service period in Vietnam. The Veteran is advised to provide these records and any other necessary information.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is presumed due to herbicide exposure in Thailand. The Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran was granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, with an effective date of July 11, 2007. The Board found that the evidence supported a diagnosis of diabetes in 1998 and thus assigned an earlier effective date of July 11, 2006.

The Board found that the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and bilateral foot disorder were denied because there was no new and material evidence submitted to reopen them. The Veteran had previously been denied these claims in October 2007, and the new evidence received did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining leave and pay records from August through December 1967 to verify the appellant's service in Vietnam. The claims for Type 2 diabetes mellitus, facial neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension are all secondary to his diabetes.

The Veteran's diabetic neuropathy is found to be proximately due to or the result of his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus, and thus granted as secondary service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including lumbar spinal degenerative disc disease, contact dermatitis (claimed as concrete poisoning), depression, essential tremors of the hands, diabetes mellitus, and erectile dysfunction. The decision also addressed a claim for right total hip arthroplasty but found no evidence linking it to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus and hypertension are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records, verify exposure to herbicides in Korea, and determine if prior SSA disability benefit determinations should be obtained.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes of the right ear and does not have diabetes. Therefore, service connection is denied.