Diabetes decisions — 2018

The Veteran claims service connection for CAD and TIA due to herbicide exposure. The Board finds the ship was not identified as operating in Vietnam's inland waterways.,The Veteran claims service connection for DM II, CAD, and TIA due to herbicide exposure. VA will need to determine if the ship operated offshore or on an inland waterway in Vietnam.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the Veteran before a decision was made.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, an eye disability, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome of the hands and wrists. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and review of the Veteran's February 2018 written statement.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion regarding secondary service connection for sleep apnea and updated treatment records are needed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus contributed substantially or materially to cause his death, and thus grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death. The issue of DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is dismissed as the Appellant withdrew her appeal.

The Veteran's GAD has been granted an increased rating to 50 percent effective January 29, 2014. Service connection for diabetes mellitus and residuals of prostate cancer have been established as a result of herbicide exposure in service. Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities is also established as secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not have service in Vietnam or any other overseas location where he could have been exposed to herbicides. Therefore, his claims for diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disability, a right knee disability, a left knee disability, a lumbar spine disability, a right hip disability, a left hip disability, a disability manifested by right leg pain and swelling, a disability manifested by left leg pain and swelling, and chronic kidney disease cannot be granted on the basis of presumptive exposure to herbicides. The Board also found no direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claims, and the diagnoses of the claimed conditions were not established during or related to active service.,Service connection was also denied for vertigo, chloracne, a disorder manifested by generalized sores, color blindness, respiratory disorders (shortness of breath), and sleep apnea.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was more likely than not exposed to herbicide agents during service, and his medical records show a current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, which is presumptively associated with such exposure. Therefore, the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA social and industrial survey to assess the combined effects of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities have been rated based on their severity, with no higher ratings granted. The current effective dates for service connection remain August 6, 2014.

The Board finds that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to service, including exposure to herbicides. Service connection is denied.

The Veteran's appeal was withdrawn for the issues of hypertension, bilateral hearing loss and diabetes ratings. The Board granted service connection on a secondary basis for erectile dysfunction due to his service-connected diabetes.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain and secure substantial gainful employment, thus the TDIU claim is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board finds that he meets the criteria for TDIU at least since January 1, 2013.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have exposure to herbicide agents during service, and thus could not establish service connection for his type II diabetes mellitus or prostate cancer based on such exposure. The preponderance of evidence is against both claims.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a left knee disorder, and right knee degenerative joint disease (including DM) and sleep apnea. The Veteran's obesity was found to be a substantial factor in the development of these conditions.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not incurred or aggravated during service, and the Board finds that it is not related to mustard gas exposure. As a result, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective January 7, 2016. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms prior to this date did not warrant a higher rating.