Diabetes decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus do not render him completely unemployable, as he can engage in sedentary and light to moderate physical activities.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, Type II, is granted service connection based on herbicide agent exposure during basic training. Service connection for breast cancer is denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service. The initial rating for bilateral pes planus remains at 0 percent.

The Veteran's diabetes and coronary artery disease are presumed to be related to his service in Vietnam. The Veteran's death was caused by colon cancer, with significant contributions from his diabetes.

The Veteran's claim for type II diabetes mellitus is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents. The lumbar spine disability claim is remanded as new evidence has been submitted, but a VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of the condition.

The Board denied service connection for heart disability and type II diabetes mellitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are not related to his military service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's eye condition is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, but needs further clarification on whether it is caused or aggravated by the diabetes.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim of a higher disability rating for diabetes mellitus type 2 is remanded due to unresolved issues regarding the severance of service connection.

The Board has granted an effective date of May 20, 2014 for the grant of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to diabetes mellitus. The earliest pending claim was received on that date.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for various conditions, including a chronic physical disability, colorectal cancer, diabetes mellitus, and psychiatric disabilities. The Veteran's claims are being reviewed again.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicide agents. The claims for urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, left breast removal, right breast removal, and hemochromatosis are remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claim for diabetes mellitus type II was denied as there is no probative medical evidence that indicates the hypertension disability caused or aggravated his current diabetes.,The Veteran's increased rating claim for hypertension since April 13, 2015, was denied due to lack of probative evidence showing worsening after the June 2015 VA examination.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for heart condition, prostate cancer, skin disorder (claimed as skin discoloration), and type II diabetes mellitus, all of which were claimed to be due to herbicide agent exposure. The appeal was dismissed because the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence, including VA treatment records from March 2018 and thereafter. The AOJ must review this evidence before readjudicating his claims for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grants.

The Board found new and material evidence for some claims but denied them based on lack of service connection criteria, while others were granted due to reopening the claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II was incurred during his period of active service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date of December 5, 2011 for the grant of service connection for DM II is granted. The claims for increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy and for sleep apnea are remanded. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied. The Veteran's heart disability was also denied as it did not have its onset in service, was not manifested within one year of discharge from service, and is not otherwise related to service.

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

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient rationale in a previous VA medical opinion regarding whether diabetes mellitus caused or aggravated the left eye disability. The Veteran's condition is currently service-connected for diabetes mellitus, and he claims that this disease caused his left eye disability.