Diabetes decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus, type II are at least as likely as not related to his service. Therefore, these conditions have been granted service connection.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, which was presumed due to his service in Vietnam, contributed substantially to his death from a pulmonary embolus. The Board found that the medical evidence is in equipoise as to whether the diabetes caused or accelerated the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to substantiate his claims of service connection for PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and a skin disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for further development, including verification of herbicide exposure and assignment at Camp Casey in August 1970.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is currently rated at 20 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation. For his left knee disability, he was previously granted a 10 percent rating prior to July 6, 2012 and a 40 percent rating effective from that date. The Veteran's appeal regarding these conditions is denied.

The Board found that diabetes mellitus, type II did not manifest during service or to a compensable degree within one year after active duty and is not causally related to an injury, disease, or event in service. As such, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and a heart condition have been denied as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other causative factors.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and found that the Veteran's right hand disability, gastrointestinal disability, and obstructive sleep apnea are presumed to have been incurred during his military service. Service connection was denied for diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at his local RO. The issues on appeal include service connection for various conditions secondary to type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records and further development of the claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings and earlier effective dates for his service connection and compensation for diabetes mellitus with hypertension, as well as his claim for kidney cancer on the basis of substitution. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran required regulation of activities or hospitalizations due to his diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for diabetes mellitus is denied as there was no prior denial and the claim was received after the regulation adding diabetes to presumptive diseases due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to a request for a hearing, and the Veteran's representative indicated that they had requested a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge of the Board.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are considered to be permanently and totally disabling, effective July 16, 2012. The Veteran was treated in the emergency department of Mercy Hospital Independence for a medical emergency on December 29, 2012 due to symptoms such as fever, cough, and sore throat. The treatment sought met the criteria for payment or reimbursement under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1728.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if diabetes mellitus had its onset during service or is related to an in-service disease, event, or injury. Additionally, verification of herbicide exposure in Guam and at Offutt Air Force Base will be conducted.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an examination and address the Veteran's contentions regarding his symptoms during service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus and granted it, finding that new evidence submitted since the last final denial raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claim. The Board also found that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents in Vietnam but did not find a causal link between his current diagnosis and this exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including the provision of VCAA notice and VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his cervical spine condition, sleep apnea, and diabetes mellitus II.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a comprehensive VA internal medicine examination to determine the combined effect of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to work.