Diabetes decisions — 2017

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II was diagnosed within one year of leaving active military service, meeting the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's unemployability is due to his service-connected disabilities, which have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, Type II, was not present in service or within one year of separation and is not otherwise related to his active duty. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension was aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus grants service connection for hypertension on this basis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during service and therefore, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, prostate cancer, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Veteran requested to withdraw her appeal for the issues of service connection for obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and sleep apnea. The Board has dismissed these matters as a result.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the inextricably intertwined issues of TDIU and an increased rating for PTSD. The Board will consider these issues together.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pancreatic cancer, which led to his death, was caused by or contributed substantially to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus. The Board finds in favor of the Appellant and grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Veteran's step-daughter, C.H., is established as a helpless child due to her mental and physical disabilities that prevented her from self-supporting herself by age 18.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed diabetes mellitus, type II, and sleep apnea. The VA will obtain all outstanding VA treatment records and provide the Veteran with a medical opinion on the relationship between his service-connected disabilities and these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and diabetic retinopathy are being remanded due to the need for additional VA clinical records from his treatment providers.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his herniated nucleus pulposus, lumbosacral strain and degenerative changes, diabetes mellitus, bilateral retinopathy with cataracts associated with diabetes mellitus, residuals of a fractured phalanx, right third toe, high frequency hearing loss of the left ear, and malaria, preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the evidence is in relative equipoise that the Veteran is unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment by reason of his service-connected disabilities and grants TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current sleep disorder or vestibular disorder related to service, and thus denied his claims for these conditions.,There is no evidence of a current vestibular disorder from within one year of separation from service. The examiner opined that the Veteran's vestibular disorder was not caused by service-connected diabetes mellitus or PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, especially in combination, are of a nature and severity as to preclude him from engaging in work. The Board finds that the criteria for TDIU have been met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and diabetes are not related to his active duty service.,There is no evidence in the record showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during his military service.

The Board determined that the Veteran was not exposed to herbicide agents during service, and thus denied his claims for service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the effective dates for the grant of service connection for erectile dysfunction and SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ should be July 29, 2008.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the upper left and right extremities, osteoarthritis of the left and right knees. The Veteran is also found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran is now service-connected for additional disabilities, including peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, cataracts, and hypertension. These conditions have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since December 8, 2016.