Diabetes decisions — 2014

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is not service-connected as it did not manifest during or within one year after his military service and there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides. His tinnitus was incurred in service but is not related to noise exposure.

The Veteran's tinnitus is not related to active service, and his diabetes mellitus does not require regulation of activities. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against a nexus between in-service noise exposure and current tinnitus.,The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus has been rated at 20 percent since August 1, 2009. However, there is no medical evidence showing that he requires insulin or regulation of activities to manage his condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a new examination to assess the severity of her diabetes disability. The TDIU claim will also be deferred until after the increased rating claim has been adjudicated.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not service-connected, as there is no direct evidence linking it to his military service.,Regarding peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, the appeal is pending and will be addressed further.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's major depressive disorder, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, glaucoma, left ear hearing loss, and myocardial infarction and stroke are all service-connected based on direct evidence of their onset during active duty.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The peripheral neuropathy and PTSD claims resulted in a 50% rating, while the diabetes mellitus and tinea cruris claims remained at their initial assigned evaluations.

The Board has determined that a rating in excess of 40 percent for gout of the great toes is warranted, as it results in incapacitating exacerbations occurring 3 or more times per year.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus before the Board could make a decision.

The Board denied the appellant's request for an effective date prior to July 24, 2008 for the award of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death. The decision stated that since the prior denial is final and the reopened claim based on new and material evidence cannot be earlier than the date it was received (July 24, 2008), an effective date earlier than July 24, 2008 is not warranted.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for all issues currently on appeal, including the reopening of service connection for hypertension and various disability evaluations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus with bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, finding no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides and insufficient credible evidence linking his current condition to military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling VA examinations to assess his eye disability, diabetes mellitus, type II, and peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his active service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition. The claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, type II, erectile dysfunction, peripheral vascular disease of the lower extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are remanded for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), diabetes mellitus, type 2, heart disease, and depression, were not incurred or aggravated during service. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his exposure to Agent Orange and the nature of his diagnosed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, to include as due to herbicide exposure is being remanded for additional development including obtaining deck logs and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and right foot conditions are not related to his period of service, and denied both claims.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and coronary artery disease, finding that both conditions are related to the Veteran's active duty service. The claimant is also awarded a 40% rating for his adenocarcinoma residuals.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, have been rated at a combined 70 percent effective August 15, 2011. These conditions are found to preclude substantially gainful employment.