Diabetes decisions — 2015

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, and his claim is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The remaining issues of entitlement to initial compensable ratings for various disabilities and service connection for other conditions remain on appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lung cancer, which was service-connected due to presumed Agent Orange exposure, contributed substantially or materially to his death from multiple-organ system failure. As a result, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for diabetes, right knee disability, and leukocytosis at the June 2015 hearing. The remaining claims are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's death was caused by acute myocardial infarction, which is not service-connected. The conditions of hearing loss and superficial mild skin fungus of the face and neck were already service-connected at the time of his death.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type 2, requires oral hypoglycemic agents and a restricted diet but not regulation of activities. The Board finds that the disability level does not warrant an evaluation in excess of 20 percent.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his request for withdrawal prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and ischemic heart disease were denied as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other causative factors.,Service connection was granted for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's initial increased ratings for his service-connected conditions have been denied.,No effective date has been assigned as the claims are still pending.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, but the evidence is not sufficient to determine whether the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents used in Vietnam. The case is remanded to obtain an expert opinion on this issue.

The Veteran seeks service connection for diabetes mellitus type II as a result of herbicide exposure. The AOJ has attempted to verify the Veteran's claimed exposure but did not follow procedures set forth in VA Adjudication Procedures Manual M21-1 for verifying his exposure in Guam.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as the effective date for his TDIU rating cannot be earlier than September 24, 2012.

The Board found no evidence of service connection for the claimed conditions and denied all claims.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, and hypertension as they are not related to his active service or exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development and to ensure proper notice is provided. The Veteran's claims are not yet decided.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding the initial evaluations for diabetes mellitus type II, limited right hip flexion due to osteoarthritis and trochanteric bursitis, and right ankle injury with instability. The Board is dismissing these appeals.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Florida Hospital Waterman on May 5, 2009 is granted as the care and services were rendered in a medical emergency of such nature that delay would have been hazardous to life or health.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and diabetes mellitus, type II are being remanded due to the absence of certain VA treatment records. These records may be relevant to the matters on appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for various conditions, including depression, a sleep disorder, anxiety, anguish, memory loss, and tinnitus related to his diabetes mellitus has been denied.