Diabetes decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and examinations. The effective date of service connection for diabetes is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for benign prostate hypertrophy, CAD, anxiety disorder, right lower extremity varicose veins, diabetes mellitus, difficulty swallowing (residual of stroke), abnormal speech (residual of stroke), peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction secondary to diabetes mellitus has been denied. The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetic retinopathy has also been denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to verify the Veteran's claimed herbicide exposure in Vietnam, which may affect his service connection claims for diabetes mellitus and related amputations.

The Veteran's PTSD, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy have been rated based on their individual effects. The appeal is denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating for any of these conditions.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to fully and fairly consider the merits of the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various conditions and effective date determinations.

The Veteran's neck disability, heart disability (aortic dissection), and diabetes mellitus were denied as not related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction has worsened, and a new examination is needed to determine the current severity of his service-connected disability.

The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issues of service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's claims are pending further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for PTSD and diabetes mellitus, type II due to incomplete records and need for updated medical evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (PTSD, CAD, and diabetes) render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted entitlement to Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including coronary artery disease and unspecified depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder, have been granted. The remaining issues are either denied or remanded.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence meeting the criteria for a disability under VA regulations.,Service connection for hyperlipidemia is denied because it does not constitute a disability under VA law and regulations.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is denied due to lack of a confirmed in-service stressor. The Veteran's records show he was diagnosed with other psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's appeal for SMC higher than (m) plus (k) was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under section 1114(o). The Veteran has more than one disability rated at 100 percent, but does not have two or more separate and distinct disabilities that would qualify him for SMC rates listed in subsections (l) through (n).

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for award of a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, which include PTSD, CAD, diabetes mellitus, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss. The Board finds that these conditions render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development of evidence regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or special home adaptation grant eligibility due to lack of a single service-connected disorder rated as totally disabling.

The Veteran's cause of death was determined as pulmonary fibrosis, with diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease listed as contributing causes. The appeal is denied because the conditions were not incurred during service or due to VA care.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, diabetes, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are granted. The claim for headaches is also granted as secondary to service-connected tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, erectile dysfunction, and retina problems as secondary to diabetes mellitus due to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides during his military service.

The appeal of service connection for hearing loss is dismissed. The appeals for service connection for leukemia, myeloma, diabetes mellitus, gall bladder condition, joint pain, gout, heart problems, hypertension, pressure hives, and skin cancer are remanded due to the Veteran's request to withdraw the issue of service connection for hearing loss.