Diabetes decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining service personnel records and medical opinions regarding the Veteran's cause of death. The issue of compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is also inextricably intertwined with the main claim and must be addressed prior to adjudication.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran, and his widow requested substitution as the appellant. The issue of entitlement to service connection for high cholesterol has been withdrawn by the Veteran.

All claims for increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities are granted. The Veteran's service-connected peripheral vascular disease is rated at 40 percent effective June 26, 2012.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus claim is dismissed due to withdrawal. The skin cancer disorder claim is denied as there is no evidence of a relationship between the condition and service, including herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claim for Type II diabetes mellitus, claimed as the result of herbicide exposure, is granted due to his presumed in-service exposure and subsequent development of the condition decades after service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is not related to his military service or any incident therein. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2; hypertension; and a skin disorder were denied as there was no evidence of exposure to Agent Orange during service.

The Board has ordered a new examination to address the Veteran's hypertension and its relationship to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, including diabetic complications. The remand also requires addressing previous medical records and opinions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, including as due to herbicide exposure during his service in Guam, is being remanded for additional development and a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's systemic sclerosis was incurred during his period of active service from May to June 2005. The issue of entitlement to service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, claimed as secondary to systemic sclerosis and arthritis, is also addressed.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the claims of diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, PTSD, and hepatitis C during the October 2013 hearing on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional development, including obtaining ship logs from the USS Jouett (DLG-29) while in the official waters of the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran seeks service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, which he claims is due to his exposure to herbicides during service in Korea. The RO has not verified the Veteran's claimed exposure and must do so before making a decision on his claim.

The Veteran's claim for an extension of the delimiting date for educational assistance benefits under Chapter 30 of Title 38 due to a period of disability from October 1, 2001 to April 30, 2003 is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have exposure to herbicide agents during service, and thus could not establish presumptive service connection for diabetes mellitus. The claim was also denied on a direct basis as there is no evidence of a disease in service or a relationship between the current condition and service.

The Veteran's claims for prostate cancer and Type 2 diabetes mellitus were denied as there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's chronic conditions, including lymphedema of the left leg, diabetes mellitus type II, and spinal stenosis, require regular aid and attendance from another person. The Board has determined that these conditions meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain a medical opinion regarding whether the service-connected diabetes mellitus contributed to the cause of death due to renal cell carcinoma.

The Board has directed the VA to provide a remand for additional development and examination regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea, which is claimed as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and/or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher evaluations for his peripheral neuropathy of both upper extremities, as well as his claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The issues regarding hypertension and coronary artery disease were not addressed.