Diabetes decisions — 2017

The Veteran is seeking service connection for diabetes mellitus, heart disease, and stroke. The Board has determined that the current evidence does not confirm his exposure to herbicides in Okinawa, Japan, which could affect his claims for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicide agents and insufficient evidence linking any claimed conditions to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent, and his peripheral neuropathy does not warrant ratings in excess of 10 percent.

The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure or other toxins during service, and the Veteran's current disabilities are not linked to his military service. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and ischemic heart disease, both claimed as secondary to Agent Orange exposure. The evidence does not establish a nexus between these conditions and his military service.,New evidence received since the August 2012 rating decision did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claims for diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran was unable to maintain substantially gainful employment prior to April 15, 2008 due to his service-connected disabilities. Effective April 15, 2008, the Veteran became unemployable.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and a new examination.

The Board found that it was not factually ascertainable that the Veteran had coronary artery disease as a complication of diabetes prior to April 17, 2009. Therefore, the effective date for service connection of CAD is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus as it is not related to his military service, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran is granted service connection for diabetes mellitus and secondary service connection for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, an eye disorder, and diabetic neuropathy all caused by his diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his service at Udorn Royal Air Force Base in Thailand and currently suffers from type II diabetes mellitus. Therefore, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right above the knee amputation was not caused by or a result of his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and therefore, does not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on anatomical loss of the right lower extremity.

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU beginning on December 6, 2006 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU beginning on and after November 30, 2015 is moot as it would be a duplication of the existing disability picture.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board has determined that a higher rating of 40 percent should be granted for the entire appeal period. The issue of diabetic retinopathy was remanded and will be addressed in a separate decision.

The VA determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral retinopathy, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea was caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities. The AOJ is instructed to obtain an addendum opinion from a different examiner and ensure that it addresses any medical literature supporting causation of sleep apnea by hypertension, kidney disease, and/or diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetic neuropathy with muscle weakness of the left upper extremity (major) as a residual of the cerebrovascular accident has been rated at 20 percent prior to March 6, 2015 and at 70 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are sufficient to bring his combined disability rating to 90 percent, with at least one disability rated 40 percent or higher; taken together, these service-connected disabilities preclude the Veteran from maintaining gainful employment.