Diabetes decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for Type II diabetes mellitus is being remanded due to the need to obtain updated VA treatment records and additional private medical records from the Park Nicollet Clinic. A new VA examination is also required.

The Veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions due to his service.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, which he claims is due to herbicide exposure during his service in Korea. The VA has not verified the Veteran's alleged exposure to Agent Orange and needs to send a request to the U.S. Army and Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC) for verification of the Veteran's claim of exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a bilateral knee disorder, and diabetes mellitus have been granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was granted, but the effective date is set at October 16, 2006. The Veteran did not file an earlier claim for this condition.

The Board has ordered additional development due to outstanding VA and private treatment records, as well as service personnel records. The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, to include as secondary to herbicide exposure is denied because there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to the condition and it did not manifest within one year of separation from service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is not related to service. Service connection for hepatitis C due to Agent Orange exposure in Korea is granted. Diabetes mellitus and hypertension are presumed to be caused by Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claim for diabetes mellitus is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicides during active service, as his service in Vietnam qualifies him under VA regulations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides during service and finds it as likely as not that he developed diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease due to this exposure. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus and head injury residuals, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence. The claim for arthritis of multiple joints was not addressed as it had been previously closed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity and diabetes mellitus, require regular aid and attendance due to his inability to perform daily activities such as bathing, dressing himself, preparing meals, keeping himself clean and presentable, and protecting himself from environmental hazards.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is presumed to be due to herbicide exposure in Korea and granted service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection claims have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD, and the diabetes mellitus claim was not granted due to lack of in-service manifestation within one year of separation from active duty.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II (DM II) was denied because the evidence did not establish that he had service in Vietnam and therefore could not be presumed exposed to Agent Orange. The Board also found that there was no causal relationship between his current DM II and active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to herbicides during service, and therefore his claims for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and hypertension are granted as they are presumed related to such exposure.

The Veteran has been diagnosed with various conditions, including atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes mellitus, and erectile dysfunction. The Board finds that these diagnoses are related to his service due to the presumption of herbicide exposure for veterans who served in Vietnam.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is found to be the cause of his diabetic retinopathy. The Board finds that the evidence supports granting service connection for diabetic retinopathy.

The Board found no evidence of a low back disorder during service and denied the claim. Bilateral hearing loss was not shown to be related to service or noise exposure, as there is no current disability meeting VA's definition of hearing loss. Diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and ED were also not linked to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hip disorders, including arthritis, are not related to his military service and thus cannot be granted service connection.