Diabetes decisions — 2014

The Veteran's shell fragment wound residuals of the right and left thighs have resulted in moderate muscle damage/impairment, warranting a 30 percent rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, diabetes mellitus (due to herbicide exposure), high blood pressure (due to diabetes mellitus), bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have tinnitus attributable to active military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including anatomical loss of the left eye and cataract in the right eye, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. Therefore, his claim for a TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's death was caused by esophageal varices due to liver disease, but the Board is remanding for an opinion on whether diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease contributed to or caused his death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing. The issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer, both related to Agent Orange exposure, are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is presumed to have been caused by exposure to Agent Orange during his service in Vietnam, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for an earlier effective date for DIC benefits, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable error in the May 2006 rating decision.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus has been managed with restricted diet and insulin injections, but does not require hospitalization or restriction of strenuous activities. The current rating is appropriate.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Type II Diabetes Mellitus, including on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicides (Agent Orange), is being remanded for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to incomplete verification of his exposure to Agent Orange in Korea. The Board will attempt to verify the allegations and then adjudicate the claims.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for generalized osteoarthritis, bilateral elbow disability, chest palpitations, pre-diabetes, TMJ dysfunction, and periodontal disease due to withdrawal of these claims. Service connection is granted for bilateral carpel tunnel syndrome.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not related to his service, including exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. As a result, the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran served in Vietnam and is therefore presumed to have been exposed to herbicide agents, including Agent Orange. The Veteran's ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus type II are service-connected due to this exposure.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, heart condition (coronary atherosclerosis status post angioplasty), colon cancer, and diabetes mellitus, type II. The evidence received since the November 2001 denial is considered new and material.,VA will obtain treatment records from the VA dated after November 2010 and associate them with the claims file.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding no evidence that his lymphoma was caused by herbicide exposure or that diabetes mellitus or fatty liver contributed to his death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure and thus no presumption applies. The Veteran's service in Vietnam is not established based on his personnel records and other submitted evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and respiratory disorders on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran did not have confirmed service in Vietnam or any other area where he may have been exposed to herbicides.

The Board found no evidence of in-country service or exposure to herbicides, and thus could not grant service connection for any conditions on that basis. The Veteran's current diagnoses were not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is currently manifested by the need for oral hypoglycemic agents and a restricted diet, but no regulation of activities or insulin. The criteria for higher ratings are not met.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service in Vietnam and his presumed exposure to herbicides therein contributed to cause his death, specifically due to pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis related to alcohol abuse. Service connection for the cause of death is granted.