Diabetes decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under applicable VA regulations.

The Veteran's cause of death, end-stage renal disease and diabetes, is denied as not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for an initial compensable rating, a rating in excess of 60 percent, and a rating in excess of 70 percent for bilateral diabetic retinopathy and bilateral cataracts. The issues of entitlement to SMC based on loss of use or blindness of one eye, having only light perception, and TDIU rating are also remanded.

The Veteran's low back disability is remanded for an adequate VA examination.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy are remanded due to insufficient development regarding in-service herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's right shoulder and left shoulder disabilities, as well as his claim of entitlement to a TDIU, are remanded.

The Veteran was found to be capable of performing the physical and mental acts required by substantially gainful employment prior to July 5, 2018.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss in the right ear and tinnitus, finding that there was no current disability as defined by VA regulations.,Service connection is remanded for ischemic heart disease, erectile dysfunction associated with diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of various extremities, and PTSD.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and diabetes are presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during service.,The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is not service-connected as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings were denied. The LLE and RLE peripheral neuropathy received a 40% rating from May 22, 2017 onwards, while the diabetes mellitus was granted a 40% rating from June 29, 2017 onwards. The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings of his upper extremities were denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right ankle disability, right hand condition (as secondary to a service connected disease or injury), dry eye syndrome, pseudofolliculitis, and diabetes. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's cause of death, cardiac dysrhythmia due to metastatic colon cancer and diabetes mellitus, is not service-connected as there is no evidence linking the conditions to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes type II and residuals of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, both presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during service in Vietnam.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for an earlier effective date for DEA benefits and the cause of the Veteran’s death, stating that the award was based on the Veteran's death from a service-connected disability and cannot predate the date of his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities as likely as not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his level of education and occupational experience, starting May 31, 2016.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus type 2 and ischemic heart disease (coronary artery disease) due to exposure to Agent Orange are granted.,The Veteran's service connection claim for lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, also due to exposure to Agent Orange, is remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection for PTSD and other conditions. The Veteran's current diagnoses do not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating for PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II has been granted due to presumed exposure to herbicides. The compensable rating for his infectious hepatitis is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development regarding service connection for sleep apnea with hypoxia, as well as the initial rating for hypertension and service connection for diverticulosis (claimed as diverticulitis) and diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral eye disorder, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy have all been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection or secondary service connection.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for consideration of evidence from a March 2019 VA examination and readjudication based on all available evidence.