Diabetes decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease, PTSD, peripheral neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities, diabetes mellitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted his claim for total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and remanded the issues of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation prior to April 7, 2009.

The Board has granted the reopening of the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and has also granted service connection for this condition as secondary to herbicide exposure. The Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to herbicides during his active duty in Vietnam.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, and left ankle disability due to new evidence. However, further development is needed as VA examinations are required to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2, finding no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides and no medical opinion linking the condition to service.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, including as secondary to service-connected hypertension due to a lack of an opinion on whether the Veteran's hypertension aggravates his diabetes.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling new VA examinations to assess his service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since closing his business in 2011, thus granting TDIU.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the merits have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion regarding his claimed conditions. The issues include tinnitus, coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the left arm, peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities, low back pain, hearing loss in both ears, carpal tunnel syndrome and radiculopathy, vision problems, and headaches.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including gastrointestinal disturbances, diabetes mellitus type II, headache disability, sleep disability (claimed as sleep disturbances), peripheral neuropathy in multiple extremities, anxiety disorder and depressive disorder. The reasons given were that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of these conditions or they were not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus, type II, with microalbuminuria was denied as the evidence did not show that he required regulation of activities to manage his condition.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, dismissed the claim of an earlier effective date for hypertension service connection, and remanded the issue of a higher initial disability rating for hypertension.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty regarding the Veteran's in-service herbicide exposure and whether he had regular contact with C-123 aircraft that sprayed Agent Orange. The Veteran is asked to provide additional evidence, including lay statements from himself and others who were informed of his service and symptoms.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for high blood pressure and diabetes mellitus, type II, as well as a compensable rating for his residual scar. The evidence did not support an in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.

The Veteran's pulmonary fibrosis is being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the cause of his atrial fibrillation/arrhythmia, which he claims was caused by service-connected heart disease, diabetes mellitus, or sleep apnea. The TDIU claim is also being remanded due to its inextricably intertwined nature with the pulmonary fibrosis claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2 due to jet fuel exposure and herbicide exposure. The VA examiner found no evidence that jet fuel or herbicides caused the Veteran's diabetes.

The Veteran's service connection for diabetes mellitus type II is granted due to presumed exposure to Agent Orange during their service in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus rating is increased to 20 percent, effective November 19, 2009. The Veteran's amputated left index finger and prostate cancer residuals are both remanded for further evaluation.

The Board is remanding the cases due to incomplete verification of in-service herbicide exposure. The Veteran must provide additional deck logs for specific dates.