Diabetes decisions — 2016

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims to reopen his service connection claims for diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The RO previously denied these claims in 2008 due to lack of evidence showing an in-service event or injury related to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for further development regarding the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange during service in Okinawa, Japan. The Appellant must provide details of the alleged exposure and VA will attempt to verify this information through Compensation Service and the JSRRC.

The Board finds that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, including as due to in-service herbicide exposure. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for this condition.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain updated evidence regarding the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus and to address his claim for TDIU. The case will be returned to the Board after further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not have service in Vietnam and thus is not entitled to presumptive service connection for any conditions based on herbicide exposure. The claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy, and eye disorder are denied as they are not related to active service.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (bipolar disorder) and denied the remaining issues of service connection. The Veteran's eczematoid dermatitis is currently rated at 10%.

The Board denied service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes mellitus type II, finding no current disability. The Veteran's prostate cancer was rated based on its severity.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes and peripheral neuropathy, are denied as there is no credible evidence of herbicide exposure or direct service incurrence. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against these claims.

The Veteran has withdrawn all issues currently on appeal, and as such, the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus was denied as there is no evidence of herbicide exposure during service and the disease did not manifest in service or within one year postservice.

The Veteran's only diagnosed eye disorders are refractive errors (astigmatism and presbyopia), which do not qualify for service connection. The Board finds that the weight of evidence does not support a finding of a current disability other than his already service-connected diabetic retinopathy and diabetic cataracts.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for retained shrapnel in the left eye, benign prostate hypertrophy with urinary incontinence, and diabetes mellitus is granted. Service connection is also granted for renal dysfunction due to diabetes mellitus type II. The Veteran's claim for rheumatoid arthritis is denied.

The Veteran seeks service connection for diabetes mellitus. The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical records and a need for a VA examination.

The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure and denied service connection for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic renal insufficiency, bilateral cataracts, PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and erectile dysfunction, do not render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's combined rating for service-connected disabilities was correctly calculated at 70 percent from July 28, 2009 to March 24, 2014.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type 2 is currently rated at 20 percent, effective April 2, 2015. The Board granted an increased rating of 20 percent for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of evidence showing herbicide exposure during his service aboard the USS Constellation, and thus, he is not entitled to the presumption of herbicide exposure.

The Veteran seeks service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus type II and its complications. The appeal is currently in remand status due to the need to verify herbicide exposure during his service at U-Tapao Air Base.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, translating any identified documents, scheduling a VA audiological examination, and readjudicating the claim for increased evaluation of his bilateral hearing loss.