Diabetes decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claimed conditions were not shown to be related to service, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure. Therefore, the claims for service connection are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable between November 16, 2009, and January 18, 2011.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and denied the claim for service connection for the cause of his death.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral nuclear cataracts as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected type II diabetes mellitus. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for diabetic retinopathy and TDIU due to diabetic retinopathy, now with bilateral nuclear cataracts, is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, Type II as there was no evidence of a link between his in-service symptoms and current condition.

The Veteran is granted SMC at the aid and attendance rate due to his blindness, which requires regular assistance from a spouse.,Service connection for loss of use of the left elbow is granted as secondary to service-connected diabetic nephropathy.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a videoconference hearing. The Board will schedule the requested hearing at the RO.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals on all pending claims, including those related to bronchial asthma, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuritis of the upper and lower extremities, and diabetic retinopathy.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for type II diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss, and PTSD have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for vision and respiratory disorders are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the nature of his current eye and breathing conditions, as well as their relationship to service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted effective from October 16, 2013. Prior to this date, his service-connected disabilities did not meet the criteria for a TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, impotency, skin rash, sleep apnea, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities as secondary to type II diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for additional development of the record and reconsideration of the claims due to errors in obtaining relevant records, including SSA disability benefits records. The Veteran's assertions regarding his alleged visit to Vietnam while a supply clerk are also being verified.

The Veteran's hypertension is related to his military service. The claims for service connection for gouty arthritis, cervical and lumbar spine disorders, and bilateral leg disorders are denied as secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus requires oral medication, a restricted diet, and regulation of activities but does not result in ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring one or two hospitalizations per year or visits to a diabetic care provider more than once a month. The Board finds that the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent have not been met.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining signed informed consent forms and a medical opinion regarding negligence in performing a thoracotomy and decortication procedure on the Veteran due to his morbid obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent, and he has met the schedular criteria for a TDIU as of August 1, 2010.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and obesity were not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor are they related to his service-connected hyperthyroidism. The claim for erectile dysfunction is addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his exposure to herbicides and verification of his reported duties in Vietnam.

The Veteran's external hemorrhoids are rated at 20 percent, the highest available rating under Diagnostic Code 7336. His diabetes mellitus is also rated at 20 percent due to insulin and restricted diet requirements.