Diabetes decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have diabetes mellitus type II and therefore service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, PTSD, anal fissure, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy, right ankle laxity, inguinal hernia repair residuals, left ear scar, groin scar, and erectile dysfunction, collectively preclude him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred in service due to herbicide exposure, and the Board finds that his claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus is being remanded due to the need for guidance from VA regarding the classification of inland waterways. The case will be readjudicated once this guidance is issued.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II with hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, tinnitus, and transient ischemic attacks and right middle cerebral infarct, combine to render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining expert medical opinions regarding the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II and ischemic heart disease. The Appellant is also given an opportunity to provide evidence of chronic alcohol abuse.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his prostate cancer disability. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with this issue.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for DMII, prostate disability (including prostate cancer and/or BPH), lymph gland disability, and ED were denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions in the record.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted a TDIU based on this.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examinations related to his diabetes, PTSD, and TDIU claims.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus and TDIU are pending.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetic retinopathy has resulted in no decrease in visual acuity or other visual impairment, and thus does not meet the criteria for a compensable initial disability rating.

The Board found no evidence of a service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and concluded that the Veteran's current diagnosis is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for diabetes mellitus, type II with associated conditions is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus grants service connection for hypertension.

The Board found that an effective date prior to May 13, 2009 for the award of service connection for diabetes mellitus is not warranted due to lack of a valid claim filed within one year before this decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, thus denying his claim for a total disability rating on the basis of individual unemployability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and psychotic disorder, cervical spine disability, low back disability, tinnitus, shell fragment wound scars, hemorrhoids, and left ear hearing loss, result in painful, limited motion that impairs his ability to perform employment of both a physical and sedentary nature. The evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these disabilities prevent him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board found that the Veteran's esophageal and base of tongue cancers, as well as his coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation, were not related to his service. The appellant's leukoplakia in-service was considered unrelated to these later diagnosed conditions.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed service-connected due to herbicide exposure. The claims for peripheral neuropathy, skin cancer, hearing loss, and tinnitus are being remanded as there is insufficient evidence to determine their relationship to service or a service-connected disability.,Service connection has been granted for the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus.