Diabetes decisions — 2019

The Board has decided that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II may be related to service, but needs further examination and evidence to make a determination.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding exposure to herbicide agents or other toxic chemicals during his service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II was denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition. The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities was granted.

The Veteran's COPD compensable rating claim is withdrawn.,The effective date for TDIU prior to January 27, 2016 is denied.,A staged disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD prior to April 1, 2016 is granted and a staged rating in excess of 70 percent after February 17, 2016 is denied.,Service connection for sleep apnea, right knee disability, and diabetes are all denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during service near the Korean DMZ, which is required for presumptive service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral shoulder disability and type II diabetes mellitus due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection, exposure history, and medical opinions.

The Veteran's hypertension and diabetes mellitus are being remanded for further evaluation, including consideration of herbicide exposure and the recent change in status of hypertension as a presumptive disability.

The Board has dismissed all the issues of service connection as they are related to a deceased Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is presumed to have been incurred in active service due to exposure to herbicides during his time at U-Tapao Air Force Base, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for sterility due to radiation exposure and diabetes mellitus were denied as there was no current diagnosis of sterility, and the service connection for DM could not be established based on in-service exposure or continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's death was not caused or contributed to by any service-connected disability, as the cause of death (cardiac arrest, anemia/bleeding and coagulopathy) is attributed to gastrointestinal bleeding unrelated to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, and ischemic heart disease as presumptive conditions associated with herbicide exposure during the Veteran's service in Thailand.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is necessary to determine if the Veteran's current diabetes mellitus type II is etiologically related to active military service and whether his peripheral vascular insufficiency of the left and right lower extremities, as well as mixed urinary incontinence, are secondary to diabetes mellitus type II. The Board also notes that further development is needed for scheduling a VA examination in a foreign nation.

The petition to reopen the appeal for entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The petition to reopen the appeal for entitlement to service connection for right knee pain is reopened and the claim for service connection for right knee pain is denied.

The Veteran's appeal of service connection for vision loss was dismissed as the Veteran requested withdrawal.,Service connection for hypertension is granted based on a presumption of service connection due to its association with active duty.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claims for diabetes mellitus, type II; peripheral neuropathy; and an acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD) are remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records and need for additional medical opinions.

The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened and granted. The claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of diabetes mellitus type I is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions, including IHP and its secondary effects such as edema of the feet, hands, bunions, a ruptured duodenal ulcer, a scar associated with a duodenal ulcer, and diabetes mellitus type II. The Board found that there was no causal relationship between these conditions and service or herbicide exposure.