Diabetes decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, which he alleges is due to herbicide exposure during his naval service on the USS Algol, has been remanded by the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The case will be reviewed after obtaining additional evidence and development as requested.

The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, diabetic dermopathy, and diabetic retinopathy with macular degeneration. The Veteran was awarded initial evaluations of no greater than 20 percent for each condition.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of degenerative arthritis, right shoulder disorder, or diabetes mellitus that is related to service. The preponderance of evidence is against these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2, finding that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides while stationed at Eglin Air Force Base and that his current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus is presumed due to this exposure.

The Board has remanded both issues on appeal due to the need for clarification regarding whether the Veteran's service connection claim is related to Gulf War exposure. The case will be further reviewed and adjudicated based on this determination.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, but denied compensable ratings for bilateral diabetic retinopathy and cataracts and left eye maculopathy. The Veteran's case is remanded to issue a Statement of the Case on his claims for noncompensable ratings for lower peroneal nerves and sural nerves.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by metastatic pancreatic cancer, which is not service-connected. However, diabetes mellitus and advanced coronary atherosclerosis with previous myocardial infarction are considered to be contributory causes of his death.

The Board has remanded the case for a videoconference hearing due to the Veteran's request and will handle any further development as needed.

The Veteran is unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities, and the combined rating for these conditions meets the criteria for TDIU prior to December 23, 2014.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to assess his left knee condition and readjudication of the issues of increased ratings for diabetic polyneuropathy of both feet.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records from Dr. William Jacobs and ensuring all relevant evidence is considered.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD was granted with an effective date of March 24, 2006.,His hearing loss disability is rated as compensable.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy, finding that his conditions did not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss, and associated conditions were denied. The RO found that the current ratings adequately reflected the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no evidence of direct or secondary service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II is manifested by the requirement for insulin, restricted diet, and regulation of activities. The Board finds that a 40 percent evaluation is warranted from August 21, 2006 to January 21, 2013 and in excess of 40 percent from January 22, 2013.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, and pes planus were all granted. The diagnoses are considered to be directly related to his service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following all forms of substantially gainful employment during the period from July 24, 2006 to April 8, 2007.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted service connection with a 50% disability rating, effective from December 12, 1996 to August 25, 1998. Special monthly compensation for aid and attendance was also granted.