Diabetes decisions — 2015

The Veteran's medical expenses incurred at a private facility were not for treatment authorized by VA or for emergency treatment, and thus reimbursement is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicides in Vietnam, and further research is needed.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, which requires insulin and a restricted diet with regulation of activities due to episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring one or two hospitalizations per year, is rated at 60 percent effective September 1, 2009.

The Board found that the Veteran's cause of death (brain herniation due to stroke) was not related to service or his service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease.

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

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the Veteran's exposure to herbicides in Thailand and whether his PTSD, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and other psychiatric conditions are related to service. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for an endocrine examination to determine the current severity of his diabetes mellitus type II and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to herbicide agents while stationed at Royal Thai Air Force Bases in Thailand, which supports his claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is service-connected as secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus. The Veteran also has a TDIU effective June 1, 2009.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD substantially or materially contributed to his death from uncontrolled diabetes.

The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure and thus denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II. The Veteran's claim was based on direct service connection as the condition is not listed among presumptive diseases.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and tinnitus, do not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The preponderance of evidence does not show he is unemployable solely due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has found that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether ED had its onset during service, and thus grants service connection for ED.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to January 17, 2012.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of his service-connected diabetes mellitus has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his request for a hearing and the case is now closed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection and for increased ratings, as well as her TDIU claim. The Veteran was not provided adequate notice regarding her hysterectomy claim in February 2002, which is a requirement under Kent v. Nicholson.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities have been denied. The Board found that diabetes mellitus required only insulin and a restricted diet, without regulation of activities, preventing a rating in excess of 20 percent. Service connection was not granted as the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy is considered secondary to his service-connected diabetes.

The Veteran's claim for service connection is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and allowing the Veteran an opportunity to substantiate his claimed exposure in Vietnam.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development to determine the current severity of her service-connected diabetes mellitus and venous stasis hyperpigmentation of the right and left lower extremities, including whether regulation of activities are required due to her diabetes mellitus.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus (type II) on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. The claims of service connection for neuropathy affecting the feet and vision problems have been reopened, but further development is needed before final adjudication can be made.