Diabetes decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further verification of his Vietnam service and exposure history.

The Veteran's Type II diabetes mellitus is granted as service-connected due to herbicide exposure during his Vietnam Era service. The Board finds that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides while stationed at U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand, and thus he meets the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's diabetes was not incurred in or is otherwise related to his period of active service.,Cold weather injury residuals, arthritis, gout, hypertension, an eye disorder (ultraviolet keratitis), a gastrointestinal disorder (colitis), an acquired psychiatric disorder (depressive disorder), vertigo, and a kidney disorder are not shown to be related to his period of active service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim and granted service connection for heart disease as secondary to type II diabetes mellitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the service-connected condition caused or contributed substantially to death. The cause of death was sudden cardiac arrest.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his medical records.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is not related to his military service and the Board finds no evidence of herbicide exposure. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board found that diabetes mellitus, type II was not incurred in or aggravated by service and may not be presumed to have been incurred or aggravated therein.

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

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for an eye disorder, arthritis, diabetes mellitus, type II, and a skin disorder due to new and material evidence. The Veteran's current eye disorder of dry eyes is found to have its onset during service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is presumed due to his in-service herbicide exposure and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, colon condition, gout, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction were not service-connected due to lack of in-service incidents or evidence linking these conditions to his time in service. The claim for service connection for headaches was denied as well.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus type II, erectile dysfunction, neuropathy of bilateral upper extremities, and neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities were denied as there is no evidence of in-service disease or injury, continuity of symptomatology after service, or exposure to herbicides that would support a grant of service connection.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is rated at 20 percent, and his erectile dysfunction is noncompensable. The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus and found that hypertension was not service-connected as secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and diabetes mellitus as the Veteran did not present evidence of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus, which he claims was caused by exposure to herbicides. The claim will be remanded to obtain deck logs from the USS Kitty Hawk and USS Philip to determine if they were in Vietnamese inland waters during his service. Additionally, the SMC based on need for aid and attendance claim is being remanded due to its interdependence with the service connection issue.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease, coronary artery disease, and diabetes mellitus. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to military service or any in-service event.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus is not related to his presumed in-service exposure to Agent Orange, but rather due to an intercurrent cause (renal cancer and pancreatic resection). Therefore, service connection for type II diabetes mellitus is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II and obstructive sleep apnea were not incurred or aggravated during service, nor are they related to a service-connected disability. The appeals for these conditions have been denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to missing medical records. The VA will obtain the necessary records and associate them with the claims folder.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is caused by his service-connected diabetes, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.