Diabetes decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a supplemental opinion from a VA examiner to address whether the Veteran has a pancreas condition that is a complication of his Type II diabetes mellitus.

Service connection is granted for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of bilateral upper and lower extremities, hypertension, back disorder, asthma, and skin disorder on a presumptive basis due to in-service herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's eye disorder, diagnosed as diabetic retinopathy, is granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The left and right knee disorders are denied service connection. An initial rating of 70 percent for PTSD prior to December 20, 2017 is granted.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, has not required insulin or a restricted diet and regulation of activities. The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that the condition manifested to a compensable degree within one year of the Veteran's discharge from active duty. The decision is based on presumptive service connection due to the Veteran's long-term exposure to risk factors during his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his claimed conditions. The issues include left knee disorder, right knee disorder, type 2 diabetes mellitus, stroke, and a psychiatric disorder (Bipolar Disorder and Manic Depression).

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no evidence of current disability due to active service or any incident of service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The Veteran's body aches, diabetes mellitus, type II, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and/or unspecified depressive disorder) are all under review.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to new and material evidence received, including private treatment records from Archbold Medical Center. The matter is remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records from Holly Hill Nursing Home and providing a VA examination.

The Board has decided that additional examinations are needed to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, type II, and PTSD. The TDIU claim is also remanded due to its inextricably intertwined nature with the increased rating claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for ischemic heart disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and psychiatric disability (to include PTSD) due to insufficient evidence regarding exposure in Vietnam. The Veteran's service records indicate he served on board USS Enterprise but not in Vietnam.

The Veteran's service connection claims for frostbite residuals of the ears and feet, Diabetes Mellitus (DM), left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy secondary to DM, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy secondary to DM, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy secondary to DM, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy secondary to DM have all been denied.,The Veteran did not provide evidence of current disabilities for any of the conditions he claimed were related to his service.

The Board denied service connection for ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence of herbicide exposure during active duty service.,Both conditions were found to be not related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction have been denied as there is no evidence of a direct relationship to service, including exposure to herbicides. The Board found that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and thus was not exposed to herbicide agents during his active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus as secondary to the Veteran's back disability and awarded a TDIU based on his combined disabilities.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is rated at 20 percent. The Board finds a 40 percent rating is warranted for his diabetes mellitus as he requires insulin, restricted diet, and regulation of activities.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, and hypertension as related to herbicide exposure. Service connection was denied for lung disease and kidney disease due to lack of current disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to outstanding VA and private treatment records, as well as SSA records. The AOJ is instructed to secure the Veteran’s complete service personnel records and any in-service mental health treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, heart disability, and stroke. The Veteran's diabetes was not incurred in or related to his service. His heart disability and strokes were also not related to his service.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied. His claim for schizophrenia was reopened, but the Board found that new and material evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. The effective date for migraines was denied as there is no indication he filed a claim prior to November 8, 2013. The Veteran's sleep disorder and schizophrenia were both remanded for further examination.