Diabetes decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy and vascular conditions, including for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, but the Board has not found a current disability or established a link to service for all of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, type II are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the claims for service connection for back condition, diabetes mellitus, left and right ankle disorders (claimed as bilateral ankle), left and right knee disorders (claimed as bilateral knee), left shoulder condition (claimed as bilateral shoulder), right shoulder condition (claimed as bilateral shoulder), and stomach cancer. The evidence includes recent VA treatment records and a new VA examination opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, increased ratings for left knee disability and bilateral hearing loss, and initial compensable rating for a wrist disability were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support service connection for diabetes mellitus or establish a higher rating for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, a heart disability, diabetes mellitus, and a psychiatric disability have been reopened. The Board has found that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding whether these disabilities are related to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for bipolar disorder, but dismissed the claims for diabetes mellitus and psoriasis.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and obstructive sleep apnea are all granted as service-connected.,Service connection for arthritis of the hands and knees is denied.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus as there was no evidence of its onset during or within one year after service, and the Veteran's current diagnosis is not related to his military service.

The Board has found that the necessary development for service connection claims related to diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, and a skin disorder due to herbicide exposure at Anderson AFB and Barksdale AFB was not completed. The case is being remanded to ensure compliance with the July 2017 Board remand directives.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the RLE and LLE associated with diabetes mellitus, degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, radiculopathy of the RLE, and radiculopathy of the LLE have all been denied.,Effective dates for service connection were granted on March 19, 2010, for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine associated with left knee DJD, radiculopathy of the RLE, and radiculopathy of the LLE.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to September 30, 2017.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination as there are insufficient medical opinions to support a decision on service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer, as well as his TDIU claim are being remanded due to lack of substantial compliance with the Board’s previous directives.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus type II with impotence, diabetic polyneuropathy right and left lower extremities, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and hypertension, rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment as of June 17, 2012. The Board granted a total disability evaluation based upon individual unemployability from that date.

The Veteran's appeal of the increased rating for PTSD is dismissed. The issue of service connection for hypertension, secondary to service-connected disabilities, is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuropathy of the extremities, and dyslipidemia have been denied. The Board found no current evidence of these conditions and thus could not grant service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the Veteran's exposure to chemicals/herbicides at Fort Lewis, Washington. The Veteran contends that his current disabilities are related to this alleged exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for hypertension and diabetes mellitus, type 2 due to chemical exposure during service. The decision is based on insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between these conditions and the in-service exposures.