Diabetes decisions — 2017

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound prior to August 31, 2009.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral eye disorder other than nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy, finding that it was not related to his military service or proximately due to or permanently aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II and osteoporosis of the bilateral lower extremities. The appeal is currently pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Hodgkin's disease, diabetes mellitus, type II, and headaches have been denied as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other causative factors.

The Board has determined that there is no current diagnosis of Type II diabetes mellitus, and thus service connection for this condition cannot be granted. The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy and headaches are remanded to obtain additional medical opinions addressing the relationship between these conditions and his active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected urinary frequency, associated with diabetes mellitus, has been rated at 40 percent since the grant of service connection in January 2005. The current rating is considered appropriate given his symptoms which include daytime voiding every 1-2 hours and nighttime awakening to void 5 or more times per night.

The Board has granted a 40 percent evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, effective October 11, 2012. The claim for an increased rating for the left lower extremity remains in controversy.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining updated medical records. The Veteran's TDIU claim will be adjudicated after these actions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's hypertension is service connected as it had its onset during active service.,There is no evidence to support a finding that the Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus (DMII) or peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities were caused by his military service, including exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetic nephropathy, PTSD, bilateral cataracts, tinnitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, are reasonably shown to be of such nature and severity as to prevent him from maintaining substantially gainful employment. Therefore, a TDIU rating is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluation must be remanded due to incomplete development of evidence, including exposure to hazardous chemicals in Guam and Diego Garcia. The Veteran is entitled to a VA examination to determine the etiology of his diabetes mellitus and hypertension.

The Board finds that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus factually existed beginning October 30, 1987. The effective date of an award will be the later of the date such claim was first received by VA or the date the disability arose, except as otherwise provided for claims filed within one year from the date of separation from service. Therefore, the effective date is set at January 1, 1989.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain a fully adequate VA medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any current hypertension, as well as to address whether the Veteran's service-connected type II diabetes mellitus and/or coronary artery disease caused or permanently aggravated his hypertension.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a pending request for a DRO hearing. The issues include increased ratings for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and PTSD; service connection claims for right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetic nephropathy was denied as he does not have the condition. The claim of a TDIU rating prior to January 12, 2010 is inextricably intertwined with the diabetes mellitus rating and will be deferred until further development on this issue.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lung cancer and diabetes mellitus, type II have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran prior to a decision.

The Board finds that the Veteran's additional disabilities, including rhabdomyolysis and other conditions he claims are related to Zocor use, were not caused by VA's failure to exercise due care or consent. The evidence shows that the Veteran had been taking Zocor for years without incident prior to his hospitalization in 2006.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension was not initially manifested in service, did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of discharge, and is not causally or etiologically related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II. The Board also found that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.