Diabetes decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus. The evidence received since the last final denial does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing VA examinations.

The Board has reopened the claims of entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder disability, left wrist disability, upper back disability, mid-to-low-back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, right ankle disability, and PTSD. The Veteran's reports of inservice acoustic trauma are accepted as credible evidence of an in-service event. Service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, and peripheral neuropathy of the hands as a result of herbicide exposure. The case has been remanded to conduct further development including verifying herbicide exposure in Korea.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during service. The Board finds the Veteran was exposed to herbicides in Vietnam and grants service connection for his diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain additional deck logs of the U.S.S. Ranger for the period from May 19, 1971, through November 10, 1972, in order to determine if the Veteran had service in Vietnam or exposure to Agent Orange during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted, with some conditions receiving a presumption of herbicide exposure and others being granted based on the evidence presented.

The Board finds that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides during service in Korea and has current disabilities of diabetes mellitus type 2, coronary artery disease, and non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The Board grants service connection for these conditions as due to exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for diabetic retinopathy was denied as his visual acuity did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating, and he does not have any significant visual field loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diabetes mellitus, type II, did not have its onset during active duty or within one year of separation from service. The VA examiner found no evidence to support a nexus between the in-service elevated blood sugar reading and the current diagnosis of diabetes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and lumbar spine disability (claimed as low back pain) were denied. The effective date of the grant of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II was not granted, and there is no prior unadjudicated claim for these conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, and granted it on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicides during active duty.

The Board has found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss had its onset in service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, the highest available rating under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was withdrawn from appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for sleep apnea, including as secondary to his service-connected PTSD, diabetes mellitus II, and heart disease, has been remanded due to the need for a new video conference hearing.

The Veteran's interstitial lung disease and diabetes mellitus Type II were not caused or aggravated by VA treatment, nor are they presumed to be due to herbicide exposure. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is presumed to have been caused by his exposure to Agent Orange during service. The Board also found that the Veteran's hypertension and peripheral neuropathy are secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. However, the right hip fracture claim was not addressed due to procedural issues.

The Board found that the Veteran's additional disabilities were not caused by VA medical treatment, and thus denied his claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. � 1151.

The Board found no evidence of diabetes or hypertension in service and denied the Veteran's claims for these conditions. The Board also noted that there was no probative evidence linking any current disabilities to service.