Diabetes decisions — 2015

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetic retinopathy and sleep apnea, to include as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II. The Veteran has withdrawn his claim for service connection for diabetic retinopathy.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims for bilateral knee, hip, back disabilities, diabetes mellitus, retinopathy, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities. The Veteran's current conditions are presumed unrelated to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and ischemic heart disease on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure. Service connection is also granted for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when combined, render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure to issue a Statement of the Case (SOC) for certain issues and rescheduling of a videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, type II, was not incurred during service and is not related to his military service. The Board finds that the criteria for service connection have not been met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II and coronary artery disease (CAD) are not related to service, including exposure to herbicides. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the current METs level and whether chronic congestive heart failure is due to his service-connected coronary artery disease. The effective date of service connection for diabetes mellitus must also be addressed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disability and diabetes mellitus were not incurred or aggravated by active service, nor may they be presumed to have been incurred therein. The appeal is denied.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure to herbicides, and the Board finds that this presumption has not been rebutted.

The Veteran's bilateral foot bunions, prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, and left finger and hand neuropathy were not service-connected.,There was no evidence of exposure to herbicide agents or other presumptive conditions.

The Board is remanding the case to schedule a videoconference hearing for the appellant and to address her claims regarding service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, including potential presumptive service connection due to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board found that the Veteran's impaired vision other than glaucoma was not incurred or aggravated in service, but awarded service connection for his glaucoma as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The effective date of this award is set at January 12, 2004.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II. The disability rating for chronic degenerative disc disease at C5 was restored to 20 percent effective November 1, 2009.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining relevant SSA records and verifying herbicide exposure. A VA examination is also needed to determine if current disabilities are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability is service-connected, but his diabetes and sleep apnea are not.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicides, specifically in Thailand. The Veteran claims he was exposed on the perimeter road and that his job as an avionics maintenance or systems technician put him near the flight line.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is presumed to have been caused by his herbicide exposure in service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, thus he did not meet the criteria for TDIU.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral cataracts, and erectile dysfunction have not been compensably disabling at any time during the initial rating period on appeal. As a result, the claims for higher ratings were denied.