Diabetes decisions — 2019

The Board denied an extraschedular rating for diabetes mellitus, type I, finding that the available schedular ratings adequately compensate the Veteran's disability.

The Board has determined that a more contemporaneous examination is needed to evaluate the Veteran's service-connected duodenal ulcer, status post vagotomy with postgastric surgery syndrome due to recent symptom worsening. Additionally, the claims for diabetes mellitus, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, retinopathy and cataracts need to be remanded as no statement of the case has been issued yet.

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for diabetes mellitus, type II, prior to May 12, 2015 was denied. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU prior to January 31, 2013 is currently remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for vision/eye disabilities, including myopia, floppy eyelid syndrome, and diabetes mellitus without retinopathy. The Veteran's pre-existing eye/vision disability was found to have existed prior to service and not aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary due to the Veteran's claims for a rating more than 20 percent for diabetes mellitus and service connection for insomnia and chronic fatigue syndrome as secondary to his service-connected disability of diabetes mellitus. The appeal is REMANDED.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions were denied as there was no evidence showing a nexus between his active service and the claimed disabilities, except for bilateral toenail removal which is not considered etiologically related to service.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal.

Service Connection for Diabetes Mellitus, Type II: The Veteran's claim is denied as there is no current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, type II, during the appeal period.,Compensable Initial Rating for Scars, Left Thigh: The Veteran's service-connected scars are rated noncompensably disabling due to their superficial nature and lack of painful or unstable characteristics.,Earlier Effective Date for Coronary Artery Disease: The claim for an earlier effective date is denied as the claim was received more than one year after separation from service.

Your appeals for service connection and increased ratings have been dismissed as the Veteran has requested to withdraw them.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure and insufficient medical evidence to establish a direct link between his current condition and service.

The Veteran's Hodgkin's lymphoma and diabetes mellitus, type II are granted service connection due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during active duty.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development of his medical records, including those from private doctors and VA hospitals. The Veteran is asked to provide release forms or submit records himself.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death and found that his service-connected Type 2 diabetes mellitus contributed substantially and materially to his death. As a result, the claim is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU, and his total combined rating is 80 percent. The Board finds that he does not meet the threshold requirements for TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for onychomycosis and diabetes mellitus. The claim for onychomycosis was denied because the evidence did not show a relationship to service, while the claim for diabetes mellitus was denied as there is no in-service diagnosis or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder, left knee, tinnitus, diabetes, and head injury have all been denied.,There is no current evidence of a diagnosed condition in any of these areas.

The Board has remanded several claims for additional development, including obtaining medical records and verifying the Veteran's service stressors. The claims of service connection for various conditions are also being considered.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease (IHD) are granted as they are presumed related to in-service exposure to herbicide agents.