Diabetes decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to determine if his residuals of a cerebral vascular accident are at least as likely as not proximately due to his service-connected heart condition and/or diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's bilateral diabetic retinopathy is rated at 40 percent from July 12, 2012. The condition has resulted in visual acuity of 20/50 bilaterally and visual field contractions ranging from 386 to 453 degrees.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, heart disease, diabetes mellitus, bilateral foot disorder, and kidney disease as they are not related to the Veteran's active duty.,The VA examiners found that these conditions did not have onset during service and were unrelated to any event, illness, or injury in service.

The Board has determined that additional medical records are needed to fully evaluate the Veteran's claims, and a new VA examination is required for several issues. The effective date of service connection for migraine headaches remains under review.

The Veteran's death was not related to his service-connected disabilities, and therefore the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is denied. The appellant's entitlement to DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is also denied as the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a total disability rating.

The Board has granted service connection for right eye diabetic retinopathy as secondary to the service-connected diabetes mellitus. However, it denied service connection for left eye disorder (including diplopia and tropia) as secondary to the service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, with diabetic retinopathy and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, is rated at 40 percent since August 2, 2018. The rating for erectile dysfunction remains denied.

Your claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further development and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder, recurrent, severe with psychotic features is granted as service connected. Her tension headaches and migraines are also granted as secondary to her major depressive disorder. The cases of tinnitus, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus type II are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus II and right bicep tendon tear with tendinosis and AC joint arthritis due to incomplete VA examination reports. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his diabetes, which he asserts was caused by in-service anthrax vaccinations or weight control programs. He also seeks an increased rating for his right shoulder disability.

The Board dismissed the appeals of the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus, as well as his requests for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance or housebound status prior to July 18, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability, an increased rating for diabetic nephropathy with hypertension, and an earlier effective date for TDIU were all denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support these claims.

The claim for acid reflux, secondary to PTSD is denied.,The claim for an increased rating for residuals of right distal tibial stress fracture is denied.,The claim for diabetes mellitus type 2 as secondary to PTSD is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus type II and erectile dysfunction due to herbicide agent exposure, as there is insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed exposure in Korea.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher evaluation and earlier effective date for service-connected type II diabetes mellitus was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an evaluation in excess of 20 percent, as there were no indications of regulation of activities or hospitalizations due to ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions. For the earlier effective date claim, the Veteran's claim for service connection was received more than one year after separation from service and within a year of entitlement arising, so the earliest possible effective date is March 2, 2015.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes and a separate rating for his history of chronic kidney stones due to voiding dysfunction or frequent UTIs.

The Board has granted service connection for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Parkinson's Disease, finding that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides containing dioxin during his TDY in Guam. The diabetes is presumed due to herbicide exposure, as is the Parkinson's disease.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities necessitate the need for regular aid and attendance, which has been granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied across the board. The Board found that none of his conditions met or approximated the criteria for a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has denied the petition to reopen the claim for service connection for cause of death due to lack of new and material evidence. The appeal is also remanded for adjudication of accrued benefits and DIC claims.