Diabetes decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to engage and retain substantially gainful employment prior to September 26, 2008. The Board has granted a TDIU effective June 16, 2008.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher disability ratings or service connection for any of the claimed conditions.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no evidence of exposure to herbicide agents during service and no other link between service and the condition.

The Board denied service connection for sarcoidosis and diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence of onset or relationship to service. The claim for secondary service connection for diabetes was also denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is being remanded due to the need for additional development and readjudication.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not have exposure to herbicide agents during his service, and therefore cannot establish service connection for coronary artery disease or diabetes mellitus, type II on a presumptive basis. The skin condition claim is also denied as there was no evidence of record supporting direct service connection.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is 90%, which satisfies the regulatory threshold for a TDIU. However, his service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, skin cancer, kidney problems and ischemic heart disease due to exposure to herbicides. The evidence did not support a finding of herbicide exposure in Vietnam or elsewhere.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating for diabetes, service connection for a skin condition, kidney disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression), tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, right ankle disability, and right wrist disability were denied. The claim for reopening of the right ankle and right wrist disabilities was granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II; peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities; coronary artery disease (CAD); vitiligo; thoracolumbar spine condition; right knee condition; left knee condition; right hip condition; and bilateral hand condition. The Board found no evidence to support a direct service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and erectile dysfunction as secondary to diabetes mellitus. The claim for glaucoma is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his service-connected anxiety disorder and his death from anoxic brain injury, cardiac arrest, and respiratory failure.

The Board has determined that the appellant's current hypertension and diabetes mellitus were incurred during his active service. The evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his diabetes mellitus and any related complications.

The Board found that the Veteran's CSA was related to his service-connected RSD and granted service connection for PTSD based on a diagnosed mood disorder. The SMC claim was also granted.

The Board has granted service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, lung cancer, and diabetic retinopathy due to herbicide exposure. Service connection is also granted for colon cancer, liver cancer, and skin cancer based on direct causation in service.

The Board granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for type II diabetes mellitus as secondary to exposure to herbicide agents, finding that the evidence was in equipoise and meeting all requirements needed to establish service connection.

The Veteran's diabetes and left knee disabilities are currently rated based on their current symptoms, with no evidence of requiring regulation of activities for medical management. The Veteran's left knee disability is not shown to warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is rated at 20 percent, and erectile dysfunction does not warrant a separate compensable rating. The issue of total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to May 7, 2010 is moot due to the Veteran's receipt of SMC.

The Veteran's type 2 diabetes mellitus is granted as service connected due to exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand during his Vietnam Era service.