Diabetes decisions — 2016

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease. The erectile dysfunction claim is being withdrawn by the Veteran's representative.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if his current conditions are related to service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus and finds that he was exposed to herbicides while stationed at the Royal Thai Air Force Base in Nakh Phanom during the Vietnam era. Therefore, his Type II diabetes mellitus is presumed to be related to herbicide exposure in service.

The Veteran was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 2006 and diabetes mellitus type II. The Board found no evidence of service connection for either condition, as the diagnoses were not related to active duty or any claimed in-service risk factors.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and an increased rating for bilateral renal upper pole duplication, post-operative. The Veteran's current diabetes was not shown in service or within one year of separation from service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus requires oral hypoglycemic agents, insulin and a restricted diet but does not require regulation of activities. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against his claim for a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development regarding his claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus and a bilateral foot disorder, including verification of herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was rated at a 40 percent disability rating from July 18, 2012 to May 1, 2015 and is now rated at a 60 percent disability rating effective May 1, 2015. The Veteran also has been granted an effective date of May 29, 2008 for the need for aid and attendance based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II. The claim of entitlement to service connection for diabetic retinopathy remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus was not incurred or aggravated during service and is not related to his period of active duty. As such, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran is found unemployable due to his service-connected PTSD, which has rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction did not have their onset in service or are otherwise related to a disease or injury of service origin. The claims for secondary service connection were also denied as there was no established primary service-connected disability.

The Veteran died from cardio pulmonary arrest due to sepsis, with end stage renal disease contributing as a secondary condition.,There is no evidence of service connection for any disability at the time of death.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to diabetes mellitus was denied as there was no pending or unadjudicated formal or informal claim prior to October 16, 2003. The Board found that the criteria for a TDIU were not met within one year of the receipt of the claim.

The Veteran's diabetes, presumed due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam, contributed substantially or materially to his death. Service connection for the cause of death is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disorder (to include hypertension) did not manifest during service or within one year thereafter, and are not related to his active service, including his alleged herbicide exposure. As such, these claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's vocational goal was not reasonably feasible due to his refusal of an Extended Evaluation plan and inability to establish feasibility, leading to the denial of his VR&E services.

The VA denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of September 3, 2009 for his TDIU on an extraschedular basis. The Board found that prior to this date, the Veteran was still able to work due to outpatient records indicating he continued working at least part-time.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was presented to reopen the claim for service connection for schizoaffective disorder. However, there is no direct service connection established for diabetes mellitus as it has not been clinically diagnosed during the appeal period.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and service connection were granted. His diabetes mellitus was rated at 20 percent, his right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy at 20 percent effective January 21, 2015, and he was granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss.