Diabetes decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diabetes mellitus may be associated with active service and therefore remanded for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his diabetes mellitus. The claim is also being remanded to obtain all relevant VA medical treatment records, including those from the VAMC in Beckley, West Virginia (1996-1997) and the VAMC in Fayetteville, North Carolina (2001-present).

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an addendum opinion from the VA examiner regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus and hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran is entitled to SMC at a higher level due to his service-connected disabilities, including bilateral upper and lower extremity symptoms.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and ischemic heart disease based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents during the Veteran's active duty in Thailand.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for an eye condition manifested by loss of vision as secondary to diabetes mellitus and granted a 20% disability rating. The claims for bilateral shoulder pain, right and left knee disabilities, and cervical spondylosis have been denied.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, type II diabetes mellitus, a heart disability, visual impairment, left leg tumor, and right shoulder disability. The Veteran's right shoulder disability is found to be related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding herbicide exposure in Thailand, as the previous development was inadequate. The Veteran's claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus is now pending again.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, and entitlement to a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities were denied. The claim for Agent Orange exposure was not addressed as it is not related to the issues on appeal.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic neuropathy, and right total knee replacement are being remanded due to the need for additional development. The TDIU claim is also being referred for extra-schedular consideration.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the issue regarding a rating in excess of 20 percent for type II diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated as 50 percent disabling, and the Board found that this rating adequately reflects his current level of disability. The other claims for service connection or a TDIU were denied.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected diabetes mellitus with diabetic retinopathy is being remanded due to deficiencies in the VA compensation examination.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and arteriosclerotic heart disease were denied as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other service connection criteria met.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and atrial fibrillation and nonischemic cardiomyopathy are being remanded due to the need for further development, including medical examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity neuropathy is found to be secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease were not shown to be related to service, including exposure to herbicides. The claims are denied.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is 90 percent, with service-connected disabilities that do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his occupational experience and educational background.

The Veteran's obesity, elevated cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, and arthritis are not service-connected as they do not have a direct relationship to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease, which became 100% disabling on November 7, 2011, precluded him from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to that date. However, his other service-connected conditions did not meet the criteria for a TDIU due to their combined effect.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to scheduling issues and the need for a Travel Board hearing. The specific conditions of prostate cancer, bronchitis, diabetes mellitus, hepatitis C, and bilateral glaucoma are still under consideration.