Diabetes decisions — 2019

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service connected. The claims for diabetes mellitus, spinal stenosis, and peripheral neuropathy are remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and thyroid disability. The decision also dismissed the issues of service connection for hypertension and thyroid disability due to their withdrawal by the Veteran.

Service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus is granted. Service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and neuropathy of the left lower extremity are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for a VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's brain cancer and diabetes mellitus, including whether they are related to service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for depression has been reopened and granted.,The Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, obstructive sleep apnea, and lung disability have also been reopened and granted.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral glaucoma, diabetes mellitus type II, allergic rhinitis, inability to tolerate medication, and fatty liver. The Veteran's claims were remanded for further action on heart disability, hypertension rating, and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims of fatigue, diabetes mellitus, spinal tuberculosis, and depression due to incomplete medical release forms and the need for updated VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to potential service connection based on herbicide exposure during Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to a higher rating for diabetes mellitus, type II; service connection for hypertension and kidney disability. Additional development is needed as new evidence suggests possible association between hypertension and exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, and ischemic heart disease. The decision is based on direct evidence of a link between the conditions and service.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and renal disease due to a lack of concrete determination regarding their etiology. A medical opinion is needed to decide if these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction were denied as there was no evidence of a nexus between the conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, primarily diabetes and associated peripheral neuropathies, prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether he is entitled to a TDIU.

The Veteran's initial higher ratings for various diabetic peripheral neuropathies and prostate cancer residuals have been granted. The claim to reopen service connection for asthma has been remanded, as well as the claims for a respiratory disability and psychiatric conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer and type 2 diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure, finding that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his service in Thailand.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction and retinopathy since September 20, 2016. The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during service and to obtain a VA medical opinion on the cause of death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for stroke residuals, diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral diabetic retinopathy, kidney condition, upper and lower extremity neuropathy, ischemic heart disease, and hypertension has been granted. However, the claims for these conditions are not supported by evidence of in-service exposure to herbicide agents or other direct service connection.

The claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus has been reopened, and a rating in excess of 40 percent for the lumbar spine disorder is granted. Effective dates are assigned for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity and left lower extremity.

The Board dismissed all appeals regarding increased disability ratings and service connection claims for various conditions, including PTSD, peripheral neuropathy, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, scar associated with CABG, unspecified depressive disorder, and cataracts. The Veteran withdrew his appeals prior to the promulgation of a decision.