Diabetes decisions — 2014

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II due to lack of evidence showing entitlement prior to November 23, 2008.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether hypertension is aggravated by service-connected coronary artery disease and/or diabetes mellitus. Additional VA examination and opinion are needed.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development, including a medical opinion from a vocational rehabilitation specialist to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities. The case will be readjudicated after the additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for bone cancer, left thigh fracture, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus Type II, and kidney disease as being presumptively related to herbicide exposure on Johnston Island.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is related to his military service due to herbicide exposure. The claims for malignant melanoma and lung cancer are denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as depression, is found to be at least as likely as not caused by improper VA treatment in February 2002.

The Veteran's appeal of service connection for hypertension, to include as due to service connected diabetes mellitus, has been withdrawn by his representative. As a result, the issue is dismissed.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, the maximum schedular rating available. The Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case to schedule a videoconference hearing. The Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his disabilities remain pending.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA medical opinion to determine whether the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, which was first diagnosed after service, initially manifested in or resulted from service. The appellant's claim will be readjudicated following this development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have service connection for diabetes or nerve degeneration affecting the upper extremities, as these conditions are not shown to be related to his military service. The left shoulder arthritis claim is also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II; a right arm skin condition; and bilateral foot conditions have all been denied as there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, and diabetic retinopathy. The claims are now granted as they meet the criteria for direct service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and related complications are denied as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to Agent Orange or any other herbicide. The Veteran was not diagnosed with hypertension until decades after service, and no medical professional has associated the diagnosis with his military service.

The Veteran seeks service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, due to herbicide exposure. The Board is unable to determine whether the Veteran's daily activities at U-Tapao Airfield brought him near the air base perimeter such that in-service herbicide exposure should be conceded.

The Veteran is entitled to an increased level of SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, including renal insufficiency with nephrotic syndrome, left eye blindness, right below the knee amputation, anatomical loss of left foot status post above-the-knee amputation and loss of use of right hand, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, left upper extremity polyneuropathy (non-dominant), hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and diabetic retinopathy.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied as there is no competent and credible evidence that the condition manifested during or within one year following service, or is related to service. The Board found that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and therefore could not be presumed exposed to herbicides.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and arranging for a comprehensive examination to assess his ability to work given his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claim for Type II diabetes mellitus was denied as there is no evidence of its manifestation during his active military service or within one year after separation.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type-II, with erectile dysfunction and right eye cataract, status post removal, warrants a rating of 20 percent. The noncompensable complications (right eye cataract) are considered part of the diabetic process under Code 7913.