Diabetes decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's lung cancer was caused by exposure to contaminated water from Camp Lejeune or air pollutants from oil and trash fires in the Persian Gulf War. The VA needs to conduct further research and provide a medical opinion on these issues.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's symptoms of loss of sense of balance and falling, respiratory disability, bowel dysfunction, and diabetes mellitus are related to his military service or an undiagnosed illness. The Veteran will be provided with a VA Gulf War General Medical Examination to address these claims.

The Board has denied service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, cataracts, and diabetes mellitus. The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for other specified trauma- and stressor-related disorder with anxiety is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease, coronary atherosclerosis, and diabetes mellitus type II are granted. The claim for chronic diastolic heart failure is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (coronary artery disease and type II diabetes mellitus) are not of such severity that he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, so his TDIU claim has been denied.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type 2 is found to be related to his service in Thailand, where he was exposed to herbicides. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were dismissed due to their death.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and associated erectile dysfunction are currently rated at 20 percent each, but the Veteran seeks higher ratings.,The Veteran's diabetic peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities is currently rated at 20 percent each, with no evidence suggesting a need for higher ratings.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for residuals of prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure, requiring further development to verify the Veteran's claimed exposures.

The Board has dismissed all claims related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including diabetes mellitus type II with bilateral peripheral vascular disease and erectile dysfunction, as well as other disabilities. The appeals are dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and diabetes with peripheral neuropathy, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his in-service exposure to herbicides. The decision is based on presumptive service connection due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted TDIU benefits. The need for SMC based on aid and attendance is also granted.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for pancreatitis and remanded several other claims due to additional development being required. The reopening of the pancreatitis claim is based on new evidence indicating that it may have developed during service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and TDIU were dismissed due to his death. The CAD rating was increased, but only prior to July 23, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction have been dismissed.,His petition to reopen a finally denied claim of service connection for multiple sclerosis has been granted, with the condition that his symptoms are related to Agent Orange exposure. Service connection is granted.,Service connection was established for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus due to Agent Orange exposure, effective June 19, 2015.,The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates have not met the criteria.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, and diabetes mellitus, type II due to exposure to contaminants at Camp Lejeune. The case requires further medical examination and opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's diabetes is not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected hepatitis C, and thus denied service connection for diabetes. The case was also remanded for a new VA examination regarding the Veteran's hepatitis C.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence of herbicide agent exposure in Thailand and insufficient medical nexus to establish a direct relationship with service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for type II diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the sciatic nerve in both lower extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities due to new evidence indicating an increase in severity since prior examinations.