Diabetes decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case due to scheduling issues for a video conference hearing before the Board.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of all claims before the Board.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as he did not have service in Vietnam and there is no evidence of Agent Orange exposure. His conditions are not attributable to his military service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is rated at 40 percent since July 14, 2009. He also received a TDIU effective August 24, 2006.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated as 20 percent disabling, but the Board finds that it does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating. The evidence does not show regulation of activities to avoid strenuous occupational and recreational activities.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have confirmed exposure to herbicides during service, and thus could not establish presumptive service connection for any of the claimed conditions. The claims were denied.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical evidence and to schedule the Veteran for an examination to determine his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus or hearing loss disability, and thus service connection for these conditions is denied. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD) remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination and incomplete medical records, requiring a new VA hypertension examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service treatment records and requests for additional information.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is currently rated at 20 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has not been clinically diagnosed as related to service, and no other acquired psychiatric disorder has been clinically diagnosed as due to or related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, abdominal wound residuals, CAD, and diabetes mellitus, type II, render him unable to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not incurred or related to his active duty service, and the Board found insufficient evidence of exposure to toxic herbicides. As a result, service connection for diabetes mellitus is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be due to service exposure, and he is granted service connection. The PTSD rating remains at 50% as it does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation. The diabetes mellitus rating remains at 20%.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence of current disability or in-service exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's diabetes and its complications. The TDIU claim is also being deferred pending resolution of the increased rating claim.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal on the issues of entitlement to an increased rating for hypertension with renal insufficiency, bilateral hearing loss, and diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for peripheral neuropathy that he claims is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The case has been remanded due to the need for an addendum medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current diagnosis of upper or lower extremity neuropathy is due to, or permanently aggravated by, his service-connected diabetes.

The Veteran was rated as totally disabled for a continuous period of eight years prior to his death, meeting the eligibility criteria for enhanced DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1311(a)(2).