Diabetes decisions — 2018

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus and a skin disability due to exposure to herbicide agents. However, the appeal is remanded as further development on the issue of service connection is needed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his service connection claim for diabetes mellitus due to lack of new and material evidence. The TDIU claim is remanded as there is competent evidence indicating the Veteran may be unable to follow a substantially gainful occupation due to service-connected disability.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction is now rated at 40 percent since August 23, 2011.,The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities are both rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 50 percent for anxiety neurosis with PTSD on an extraschedular basis and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and clarification.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection, initial ratings for neuropathy and retinopathy/cataracts, as well as a TDIU claim. The low back disability is denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service or any diagnosed condition. Initial ratings for lower extremity neuropathies are also denied. Separate compensable ratings for non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and bilateral cataracts are not warranted.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination as there are questions regarding the adequacy of the current evidence, particularly in relation to the Veteran's service connection claims.

The Veteran's appeal on the issue of an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II, associated with herbicide exposure, has been withdrawn and dismissed. The Board denied service connection for erectile dysfunction as there is no evidence that it was incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination as they are not yet fully developed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2 has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, including as due to herbicide exposure. Additional development is required to determine if the Veteran was exposed to herbicides during his service at Korat RTAFB and whether he developed diabetes due to such exposure.

The Veteran's widow is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance of another person. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for loss of balance due to lack of a Statement of the Case.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection for a right knee sprain and an evaluation higher than 20 percent for left shoulder rotator cuff tear. The hypertension claim is denied as new and material evidence was not submitted.

The Veteran's prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II (DM II), Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, neuropathy of the bilateral lower and upper extremities, and sarcoidosis were not shown to be related to his military service or herbicide exposure.,The Board found that there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides for any of these conditions.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, sleep apnea, obesity, vision impairment (astigmatism), and high cholesterol. The appeals are allowed to this extent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's knee, ear hearing loss, tinnitus, cardiac disability, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and carpal tunnel disabilities may be related to service. However, due to lack of medical evidence on record regarding these claims, the case is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's cause of death was acute promyelocytic leukemia, with significant conditions being coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus. The Board found that the service-connected disabilities did not substantially or materially contribute to the cause of death.

The Veteran's dystonia is granted service connection, but the issues of service connection for myasthenia gravis, pernicious anemia, and diabetes mellitus type II are remanded.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and prostate cancer was denied as there were no pending claims at the time of his death. The appellant is seeking accrued benefits based on these claims.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder due to unresolved legal and factual questions.

The Board has reopened the claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and Parkinson's disease due to in-service herbicide exposure. The claim of service connection for progressive supranuclear palsy is remanded as it may be related to military service, including possible herbicide exposure.