Diabetes decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected Type 2 diabetes mellitus materially and substantially contributed to his pancreatitis, which caused his death. The claim for the cause of the Veteran’s death is granted.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II has been granted. The Board finds new and material evidence sufficient to reopen the claim of service connection for diabetes, but denies service connection on the merits due to lack of evidence showing a relationship between the disability and service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus and PTSD, as well as his claim for TDIU, were all denied. The Board found that the Veteran’s symptoms did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under the applicable rating criteria.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and pancreatic cancer were not incurred during or a result of military service. The Board denied service connection for both conditions.

Service connection is granted for an undiagnosed pulmonary disability and diabetes mellitus, both of which are presumed to have resulted from exposure to burn pits during service in the Southwest Asia theater.

Service connection is granted for diabetes mellitus, bilateral cataracts as secondary to diabetes mellitus, and bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy. The claim of service connection for a left eye ulcer remains pending due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a left leg amputation and diabetes mellitus with extensive diabetic autonomic neuropathy affecting his nerves, preclude him from independent locomotion without the aid of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair. As such, he is eligible for specially adapted housing.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for diabetes, including as due to toxic herbicide exposure, due to an inadequate opinion from a VA examiner.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and heart condition, both claimed as a result of exposure to herbicide agents. The claims will be returned to the Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC) for further verification.

The Veteran's service connection claims for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus due to exposure to herbicide agents are granted as the evidence is at least in equipoise that he was exposed to such agents during his service.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.,Service connection is denied for diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for diabetes due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The back disorder claim is remanded as it was not fully adjudicated.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability is reopened, but the issue of service connection remains remanded due to need for additional medical opinions. The claims for diabetes mellitus, type I and chronic enuresis are also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 60 percent for pseudofolliculitis barbae was denied.,The claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension were remanded due to lack of verification of herbicide exposure. The compensation claim for hemorrhoids is also remanded.,The Veteran's hypertension claim remains pending as the herbicide exposure has not been verified, but if confirmed, it would be related to herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's hemorrhoid claim was remanded with instructions to determine whether his August 2011 and December 2012 colonoscopies aggravated his pre-existing hemorrhoids.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma and diabetes mellitus II have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or that the conditions are related to military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease, increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, and an earlier effective date for service connection for pancreatic cancer. The Veteran did not have ischemic heart disease or related disability that caused impairment in earning capacity during his claim period. His bilateral hearing loss was rated as noncompensable under VA regulations. Service connection for IHD was denied due to lack of evidence of a current disability, and the Board found no relationship between DMII and pancreatic cancer.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and a heart condition have been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or etiological relationship to service.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for schizophrenia and headaches have been remanded due to conflicting medical opinions and the need for further examination.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is not service-connected as it did not begin during service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury.,Diabetes mellitus was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's left knee disability, secondary to his service-connected right knee disability, was not addressed by the January 2013 VA examination. The issue remains remanded for further evaluation.,Bronchitis was diagnosed in January 2018 and is currently under review due to lack of a medical opinion regarding its etiology.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability (depression) has not been addressed by the Board as there has been no attempt to verify the in-service stressors.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and lower extremity neuropathy have been rated, but the appeal for higher ratings has been granted.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, and ischemic heart disease. Service connection for PTSD is remanded.