Diabetes decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for service connection for benign prostate hypertrophy and prostate cancer is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus is denied.,A disability rating of 70% but no higher for adjustment disorder with depressed mood is granted.,The Veteran is granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the case for a VA medical examination to determine if the Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is caused or aggravated by his service-connected depressive disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection, compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for right eye blindness and memory loss resulting from a VA surgery in February 2009 have all been denied due to lack of evidence linking the conditions to his military service or VA care.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II due to Agent Orange exposure as the Veteran's in-service exposure to herbicides, including Agent Orange, is not established. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence does not support the Veteran’s assertions regarding his time spent in Vietnam and thus cannot establish in-service exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including glaucoma, sleep apnea, hypertension, renal failure, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and diabetic retinopathy, are not service-connected. The evidence does not establish herbicide exposure or any other link between the Veteran's current disabilities and his military service.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus as the Veteran was not exposed to herbicide agents during his military service.

The Board denied VA payment for a powered mobility device, to include a motorized wheelchair, as the Veteran's medical records showed he could achieve adequate functional mobility without such devices through standard medical or rehabilitative treatments.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, right ankle fracture residuals, diabetes mellitus type 2, tinnitus, and peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. His total disability rating is currently at 80 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus and bilateral peripheral neuropathy, lower extremities due to incomplete records from VA treatment in Houston, Texas.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for diabetic retinopathy is being remanded due to his failure to report to the scheduled VA examination in Florida. The Board finds good cause and requires a new VA examination at the Veteran's preferred location.

The Veteran's appeal for payment or reimbursement of private medical services received at Freeman Hospital from February 25, 2013 to February 28, 2013 is denied because the treatment was not provided in a situation where VA facilities were willing and able to accept him for transfer.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service.,Service connection cannot be granted on a direct basis because there is no evidence showing that any signs or symptoms of hypertension, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, or peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities manifested during active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including traumatic brain injury, tension headaches, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, vascular dementia, and peripheral neuropathy of bilateral upper and lower extremities, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the TDIU based on these combined disabilities.

The Board has remanded multiple claims for service connection, including for DJD of various joints and related disabilities such as hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuropathy, and tinnitus. The claims are being returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, and prostate cancer residuals were denied. The claim for erectile dysfunction was also denied as the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of penile deformity. For prostate cancer residuals prior to October 28, 2014, the Veteran is granted an initial rating of 20 percent.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted because his service-connected diabetes-related peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, combined with his nonservice-connected cervical spondylosis and cervical spine atrophy and compression, makes him unemployable.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for his right eye disorder, including diabetic retinopathy, pseudophakia, and blindness with left eye diabetic retinopathy is being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to new and material evidence submitted since the February 2006 rating decision. The hearing loss claim is also remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder, to include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and constipation. Service connection was denied for diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, coronary artery disease, type II diabetes, tinnitus, bilateral pseudophakia, and bilateral hearing loss, prevent him from obtaining and maintaining gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).