Diabetes decisions — 2016

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including cardiomyopathy, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since December 28, 2007. Effective July 26, 2010, his TDIU rating was increased to a combined evaluation of 70 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA examination to clarify the nature and severity of his service-connected eye conditions, including pingueculae, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy. The examiner will determine which symptoms are at least as likely as not related to in-service chemical exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, diabetes mellitus type II, a heart disability, and hepatitis C, combined to make him incapable of obtaining and maintaining gainful employment prior to his death. As such, he is granted TDIU.

The combined effect of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded him from securing and following substantially gainful employment consistent with his work and educational background beginning August 2, 2007.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for dependency compensation benefits was denied as he did not provide the necessary information to VA within one year of his eligibility, and no legal basis exists to award dependent's benefits prior to December 21, 2005.

The Veteran meets the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities. The claim for reopening of the previously denied lung/ respiratory disability is granted as new and material evidence has been received. Service connection for acid reflux is not established.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent since September 22, 2008 through April 20, 2009. The claim for service connection of an eye disorder (diabetic retinopathy) was granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ulnar neuropathy, finding that there is no evidence to support a diagnosis of this condition and that it is not related to his diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be causally or etiologically due to service. Service connection for tinnitus is established.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining inpatient clinical records from the U.S. Naval Hospital Roosevelt Roads and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the veteran's current conditions are related to his service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus, type II, finding no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other factors linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a supplemental statement of the case.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and thyroid nodule are being remanded due to the need for further investigation into his claimed herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain updated medical records and to schedule him for VA examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected hemorrhoids and diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, chronic fungal infections, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are granted. However, his claim for service connection for coronary artery disease is denied due to lack of current diagnosis. His hypertension claim remains pending as it was not adjudicated in this decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, to include as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II, and the issue of an earlier effective date for ischemic heart disease are both being remanded for additional development.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the grant of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death should be September 12, 2008. The appellant submitted new and material evidence in September 2008 which led to a reopening of her previously denied claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations and readjudication of his claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected type 2 diabetes mellitus contributed substantially and materially to his cause of death, which was terminal gastric cancer. The evidence is in equipoise regarding whether this condition proximately caused or aggravated the Veteran's fatal gastric cancer.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus and PTSD, as well as his claim for a TDIU, were denied by the Board of Veterans' Appeals.