Diabetes decisions — 2018

The Board denied the claim for accrued benefits as there is not an available monetary benefit for accrued benefits purposes due to the timing of filing the original claims.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to allow for additional development of his claims, including VA examinations and the acquisition of relevant medical records.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, Type 2 are being remanded due to the need for further verification regarding his exposure to herbicide while in Korea.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus did not manifest within one year of separation from service and is not related to an in-service disease, injury, or event. As such, the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including rectal disability, fatigue disorder, bleeding gums, hypertension, bilateral shoulder disorder, colonic polyps, ulcer, Lyme disease, diabetes mellitus, and a heart condition. The appeals are based on undiagnosed illness due to service in the Persian Gulf.

The Veteran's annual income for pension purposes exceeded the applicable maximum annual pension rate (MAPR) for all years included in the appeal period, thus denying his claim of entitlement to non-service connected pension.

The Board denied reopening the claims of service connection for hypertension, bilateral knee disability, diabetes mellitus type II (DM II), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and a back disability. The Veteran's lay statements regarding his Vietnam service were found to be not supported by the record.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus had its onset within a year of service, and thus grants service connection for this condition based on the presumption of service connection for chronic diseases. The issue of service connection for cardiovascular accident (claimed as a stroke) is remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus is etiologically attributable to his active service. The Board finds that the evidence of record supports a grant of service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his legal guardian withdrawing the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II contributed substantially or materially to his cause of death. The case will be remanded for an addendum VA opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and verifying herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, Type 2 is presumed to have been incurred in active military service due to exposure to herbicides. The claims for prostate disability, hypertension and residuals of renal carcinoma are being remanded as additional development is needed.

The Veteran seeks service connection for diabetes mellitus, claiming exposure to Agent Orange during his time in Vietnam. The VA has determined that the evidence does not support a finding of exposure and is requesting further information from the Naval Aviation History Branch regarding the Veteran's movements.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disability and an increased rating for diabetic nephropathy. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service exposure to herbicide agents, nor was there sufficient medical evidence to establish a direct relationship between his current disabilities and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is found to have contributed substantially or materially to his death from metastatic melanoma, and the Board grants service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is related to active service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The claims for hypertension and diabetes mellitus, type 2 are pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service event, injury, or disease that would support the claims.

The Veteran's combined rating for his service-connected disabilities is 90 percent, which meets the criteria for a TDIU. The Board has granted this claim.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, Type II contributed substantially or materially to his death by causing debilitating effects and general impairment of health rendering him materially less capable of resisting the effects of hypertension and attendant complications. As a result, the Board finds that the criteria for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death have been met.