Diabetes decisions — 2018

The Board has decided to remand the case due to uncertainty about whether diabetes mellitus contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran's death. The case will be returned for further development, including obtaining medical records and a medical opinion regarding the cause of death.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed as he withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made. The Board granted service connection for PTSD.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including hip disorders, bronchitis, pulmonary vascular disease, traumatic arthritis, and TBI. The decision also includes a request for clarification on the appellant's eligibility as a surviving spouse due to potential marriage disputes.

The Board has remanded the case for a Supplemental Statement of the Case to include a summary of reasons for each decision, including the issue of an extraschedular rating for diabetes mellitus and its complications. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with this issue.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and related peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide exposure, as well as his right upper extremity numbness, left upper extremity numbness, right lower extremity numbness, and left lower extremity numbness. The AOJ is instructed to obtain all relevant records, including those from private care providers and VA medical records, and verify the Veteran's claimed herbicide exposure in Korea. A VA examiner will be consulted for a medical opinion regarding the etiology of his peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease, prostate cancer, and diabetes mellitus, type II due to presumed herbicide exposure during active duty in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, and psychiatric disability (including PTSD and depression) due to new evidence received after a final July 1994 rating decision. The Veteran's testimony at his December 2017 hearing is considered new and material to reopen the claim of service connection for hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus type II, heart condition, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and depression have been remanded due to new evidence submitted since the last denial.,Additional searches are needed to verify the Veteran's alleged service in Vietnam.

The Board has granted service connection for gait ataxia, but the issues of right hip DJD and diabetes mellitus type II, as well as an increased rating for seizure disorder, are remanded due to need for further examination and evidence collection.

The Veteran's cause of death is granted as service connection for the cause of death due to type II diabetes mellitus, which was presumed related to his military service. The claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus (for accrued benefits purposes) is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes is found to have caused his bilateral lower extremity neuropathy. The effective date for the grant of service connection for CAD is granted as April 2, 2014.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type 2 is granted as due to herbicide exposure during service at U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The claims for diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are remanded due to lack of evidence regarding herbicide exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the service connection claims for heart disability, hypertension, residuals of bladder cancer, and diabetes mellitus due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Taiwan.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus type II with moderate nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy and PTSD are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations.

The Board dismissed all appeals except the claim for a TDIU, finding that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and a foot disability manifested by pain and numbness due to outstanding VA treatment records, service personnel records, and SSA records being requested. A VA examination is also required.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and related benefits are denied as the earliest date of service connection is February 24, 2011.,No earlier effective dates can be granted due to the liberalizing VA law that established presumptive exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for coronary artery disease was granted, with a final rating of 60 percent.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus was denied.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for PTSD and entitlement to TDIU are being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations and a combined effects opinion on employment.