Diabetes decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and clarification of medical opinions regarding the Veteran's migraine headaches and diabetes mellitus type I. The claims are currently pending.

The Board has reopened several previously denied claims but has not granted service connection for any of the conditions. The decision is mixed, with some issues being remanded and others having new evidence received that does not meet the criteria for reopening.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral eye disability, prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The case is remanded for extraschedular TDIU consideration.

The Veteran's claim for left clavicle fracture residuals and left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis was reopened, with the former granted based on aggravation of a pre-existing condition. The claim for DM was also reopened, but denied as there is no evidence linking it to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the issues of increased ratings for diabetes mellitus type II and related peripheral neuropathies of the lower extremities prior to April 19, 2016. The Veteran's hypertension claim due to herbicide exposure is also on appeal.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, diabetes mellitus associated with herbicide exposure, and related secondary conditions are remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his service connection.

The Veteran's death was not caused by his own willful misconduct, and at the time of death he was not in receipt of compensation for service-connected disability that met the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to obtain missing VA treatment records, SSA records, and private treatment records. A VA examination is also needed to determine the nature and etiology of GERD, as well as an addendum opinion regarding his claimed bilateral knee disorder.

The Veteran's appeal for TDIU was withdrawn, and the Board dismissed it. The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation based on his need for aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes, erectile dysfunction, and a heart disorder are all granted. The heart disorder claim is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy of the feet, and erectile dysfunction (ED) have been granted. The Board found that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides in Thailand during his service but did not grant presumptive service connection based on this exposure as he served near the air base perimeter rather than directly at it.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational and occupational experience, thus the claim for TDIU is denied.

The Board has remanded the cases of increased rating for coronary artery disease and service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus due to incomplete information from the Veteran regarding his treatment providers. The total disability rating based on individual unemployability claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including type II diabetes mellitus and arteriosclerotic heart disease, have rendered him unemployable. Service connection for oropharyngeal cancer was denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service. Type II diabetes mellitus is presumed related to Agent Orange exposure in service.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, Sleep Apnea, HTN, DM, TBI, and Bilateral Neuropathy due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active military service.

The Veteran's appeals regarding higher ratings for diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease are remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and a medical opinion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, a heart disability (to include ischemic heart disease), hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical evidence.,The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for any of these conditions as there is no credible evidence that they began during active duty or are otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Veteran's right shoulder degenerative joint disease with rotator cuff disorder is granted as service-connected.,Diabetes mellitus, presumed due to exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam, is also granted as service-connected. The effective date for this grant is May 5, 2011.

The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities associated with diabetes mellitus, type II, is granted an initial 20 percent disability rating prior to January 18, 2017, and a 40 percent thereafter.