Diabetes decisions — 2017

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction during a hearing before the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of type 2 diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction are related to service, with continuous symptoms since separation. Service connection is granted for both conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange during service in Korea. The JSRRC report is needed for further review.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, diabetes mellitus Type II, erectile dysfunction, coronary artery disease, gluteal cleft scar, and facial scar prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board grants the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting the grant of TDIU.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's GERD is etiologically related to service, including as a result of in-service exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and diabetes mellitus to his service or any incident therein. The disabilities were not manifest during active service.,Service connection was denied for all three conditions as they are not presumed due to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, and prostate cancer have been denied as new and material evidence was not received with respect to the claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II. The Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents is deemed non-qualifying due to his service in the United States Merchant Marines after 1945.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus II, service connection for ischemic heart disease (IHD), and service connection for skin cancer and hypertension. The decision also noted that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen these previously denied claims.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and other conditions are denied as there is no evidence of herbicide exposure during his military service.

The Veteran's diabetes, COPD, and sleep disorder are being remanded for further development including obtaining medical opinions on the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a bilateral knee disability, DM, eye and foot disabilities, kidney disease, peripheral neuropathy, headaches, erectile dysfunction, and depression. The decision found no new evidence to reopen the claim of a bilateral knee disability, that DM was not related to active service, and that none of the other conditions were related to active service or secondary to DM.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete verification of the Appellant's military service periods. The claims will be reconsidered after this additional information is obtained.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent prior to September 17, 2015, reflecting significant occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's CAD has resulted in symptoms of dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope at a workload of 3 METS or less since August 8, 2012. The Board granted a 100 percent rating for CAD effective from that date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that it was not related to his service-connected back disability and obesity is not an intermediate step between a service-connected disability and a current disability.

The Veteran's claimed conditions, including type II diabetes mellitus, were not incurred or aggravated by service and are denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to the representation withdrawing the appeal before a decision was made.

The Board has determined that a new examination is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II with left eye non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The appeal will be remanded for this purpose.

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