Diabetes decisions — 2019

The Board denied the petitions to reopen claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and heart disability due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration. The Veteran's right-hand disability, diabetes mellitus, and right leg disability are being reviewed to determine if they are related to service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is currently rated at 20 percent and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals before the Board could make a decision on them.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus has been reopened and is granted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II. As such, the previously denied claim is not reopened.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus due to new and material evidence, but has remanded the case for further development regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Board has stayed the adjudication of claims for service connection due to herbicide exposure, and has remanded two issues: Hepatitis B and C. The other issues have been stayed.

The Board has remanded the case for further proceedings due to deficiencies in previous examinations and records. Specifically, additional medical opinions are needed regarding diabetes mellitus, a VA examination is required for the Veteran's back disability, and medical records from Pensacola Naval Hospital since September 2013 need to be obtained.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities due to insufficient evidence in the July 2015 VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for type-2 diabetes, coronary artery disease (Ischemic Heart Disease), and vision impairment have been denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes, finding that there is no evidence to support a direct or secondary relationship between his military service and his condition.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board denied an increased rating higher than this level.

The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected, as the Board found no evidence linking his death to active service or any service-connected conditions.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus type II was also denied due to lack of evidence showing a direct link between the condition and the Veteran's military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including nosebleeds, neck disorder, allergies, asthma, sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, hepatitis C, bilateral knee disorder, and a psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD), finding no new and relevant evidence to reopen any of these claims.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is presumed to have been incurred in service due to herbicide exposure during his time at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base (RTAFB) in Thailand. The Board found the evidence in equipoise as to whether the Veteran was exposed to herbicides and granted presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus was denied, and his service connection claim for a skin condition including PCT due to herbicide exposure was remanded. The Board found no evidence of diabetic complications warranting separate ratings or any compensable conditions related to the Veteran's diabetes. For the skin condition claim, the Board noted that there is no record of a diagnosis of PCT and the Veteran’s current skin disabilities are not linked to his in-service herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and coronary artery disease are granted based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his service in the Korean DMZ.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and several types of peripheral neuropathy as well as kidney dysfunction and heart disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active service.