Diabetes decisions — 2018

The Veteran's left upper extremity neuropathy, lung cancer (if present), diabetes, and chronic kidney disease are all service-connected. The Veteran is granted a maximum schedular rating of 100 percent for diabetes and the grant of service connection for left upper extremity neuropathy. However, there is no separate rating for diabetic chronic kidney disease as it is considered a complication of diabetes. The psychiatric disability is rated at 70 percent but not in excess of that level.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is granted as service connected due to exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Thailand.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for interstitial lung disease and diabetes have been granted. The issues of increased rating for PTSD and TDIU are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic kidney disease is caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's Type II diabetes mellitus is rated at 40 percent, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes, hypertension, neuropathy of the feet and legs, ischemic heart disease, stroke, and depression due to potential exposure to herbicides while serving on ships off the coast of Vietnam. The claim for service connection for a headache condition is also remanded.

The Veteran's service connection for residuals of a stroke is granted. Ratings are granted for instability and arthritis in the right knee, as well as increased ratings for diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy. The Veteran also receives TDIU benefits.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions have been denied as the new evidence received does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims, and there is no clear and unmistakable evidence to rebut the presumption of soundness for pre-existing disorders.

The Board has granted service connection for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, but the appeal is still pending for other conditions. The Veteran's diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, restless leg syndrome, hypertension, OSA, GERD, tinnitus, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, low back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, sinusitis, and IBS are all still under review.

The Veteran's left and right upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, as well as his left and right lower sciatic nerve and femoral nerve diabetic peripheral neuropathies have been granted increased ratings of 20 percent each from the effective dates specified.

The Board denied service connection for ischemic heart disease, prostate cancer, and type II diabetes mellitus due to a lack of evidence confirming the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.

The Board dismissed all appeals related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to his death.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and its associated neuropathies due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents in service, and because the Veteran's current conditions did not manifest within one year of separation.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, finding no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, with erectile dysfunction is currently rated at 20 percent and the Board denied a higher rating. Separate ratings for left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are granted.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction is rated at 20 percent, and his peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities are each rated at 20 percent from May 9, 2012. The Veteran's PTSD does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, to include as due to herbicide exposure, is denied because there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during his military service and the disease did not manifest within one year after separation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, as his non-service-connected back disability prevents him from working in sedentary positions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus type 2 (to include as secondary to service-connected lumbar spine IVDS and DDD), and a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to August 9, 2017, and in excess of 40 percent from August 9, 2017, for lumbar spine IVDS and DDD. The AOJ is directed to obtain additional personnel records, an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's diabetes, a new examination to determine the severity of his lumbar spine disability, and an examination to determine whether he has bowel or bladder impairment.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.