Diabetes decisions — 2019

The Board finds that the Veteran had service in Vietnam and was exposed to herbicide agents, thus granting service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is currently rated at 40% and the Board denied an increased rating. The case is remanded for further development regarding his bilateral eye condition.,The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities are each rated at 10%. He is seeking a higher rating, and the case is also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not impact his ability to perform sedentary employment, but additional development is needed to determine if he can perform any type of work.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to a lack of current diagnoses. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy and whether he suffers from loss of use in either hand or foot. The Veteran will need a new VA examination for these issues.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection and increased ratings are inextricably intertwined with the Veteran's claims for left and right knee disabilities. Therefore, these matters have been REMANDED.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his request for a withdrawal of the November 2016 substantive appeal, and only service connection for Parkinson's disease and chloracne is pending.

The case is not ripe for appellate consideration due to the need to obtain all outstanding VA and private treatment records. The Veteran's claim for TDIU has been remanded to ensure all relevant medical records are associated with his claims file.

The Board denied the reopening of a previously denied claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that new and material evidence had not been received.

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, right ankle melanoma, left wrist disorders, and left club foot. The appeals are remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus were not shown to be related to service, including exposure to herbicides. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of actual in-service exposure to herbicide agents.,The Veteran's sickle cell trait was determined to be a congenital defect without any superimposed disease or injury during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including cervical spine/neck disability, loss of leg control, acquired psychiatric disorder, and other disabilities secondary to hydrocephalus with shunt. The Veteran's personnel records will be obtained to determine if there were any in-service events that could have aggravated his pre-existing hydrocephalus.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding exposure to ionizing radiation during active duty, and further development is required.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including obtaining relevant medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any left hand and/or right hand disability.

The Veteran's death was caused by sepsis due to or as a consequence of peripheral vascular disease. His diabetes mellitus, type II, is presumed to have been incurred in service due to herbicide exposure. The cause of death and the service connection for diabetes mellitus are both remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate examinations and opinions. The Veteran's disabilities of the feet, knees, and neck are being reviewed again with new VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeals for various conditions have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded several issues, including the reopening of claims and the assignment of initial ratings.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Peripheral Neuropathy of the Left Lower Extremity, and Peripheral Neuropathy of the Right Lower Extremity have been denied. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical records and schedule the Veteran for an examination to assess his current level of disability due to peripheral neuropathy.

Entitlement to an effective date prior to March 7, 2016 for the grant of an 80 percent rating for diabetic nephropathy is denied.,Entitlement to an effective date prior to March 15, 2016 for the grant of service connection for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is denied.,Entitlement to an effective date prior to March 15, 2016 for the grant of service connection for left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is denied.,Entitlement to an effective date prior to March 15, 2016 for the grant of service connection for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is denied.,Entitlement to an effective date prior to March 15, 2016 for the grant of service connection for right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction and associated complications such as diabetic nephropathy, anxiety disorder, right Charcot foot, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, skin ulcer, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, rendered him unable to secure or retain substantially gainful employment. The Board granted TDIU based on these service-connected conditions.