Diabetes decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability was denied due to lack of evidence of disease or injury in service. The claim is not reopened as new and material evidence has not been received.,Service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder cannot be established as the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD, which requires a specific stressor event. Major depressive disorder was diagnosed but there is no link to service or an in-service stressor.,The Veteran's skin disability (presumably seborrheic dermatitis and actinic keratoses) is presumed due to exposure to herbicide agents during service.,There is no evidence of a bilateral shoulder disability at any time during the pendency of the claim. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran has a current disability or that it is related to service.,Diabetes mellitus was not present in service and there is no link between diabetes and service, including exposure to herbicide agents.,The bilateral eye disability (presumably macular disease, cataracts, and presbyopia) is presumed due to exposure to herbicide agents during service. There is no evidence of a current disability or that it is related to service.,There is no evidence of a bilateral knee disability at any time during the pendency of the claim. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran has a current disability or that it is related to service.,The lumbosacral strain was not present in service and there is no link between the condition and service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for diabetes and PTSD due to potential missing records and the need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate medical opinions and the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and determining if the Veteran served in the territorial sea of Vietnam.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, so his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is denied.

The Board has remanded several issues including service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, hand cramps, diabetes mellitus, and loss of sexual desire due to the need for additional examination and review.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and nonservice-connected pension benefits due to a lack of evidence showing that his conditions were incurred during or related to his military service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II was evaluated at 40 percent prior to August 31, 2017. The Board found that the evidence did not show medically prescribed or advised regulation of activities due to his diabetes.

The Board denied service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) due to service-connected diabetes, and also denied entitlement to a rating of total disability based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus qualify for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) for aid and attendance. However, he does not meet the criteria for SMC based on housebound status due to his remaining disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed. The Board found that the Veteran withdrew his claims, and there were no earlier effective dates granted.

The Board denied service connection for pulmonary nodules and diabetes, but remanded the issue of service connection for kidney disease. The Veteran is not service-connected for diabetes or hypertension, which precludes secondary service connection for his kidney disease.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities, diabetes mellitus, type II, and PTSD with depression and anxiety is being remanded due to new evidence.,Higher disability ratings are not warranted for any of these conditions based on current medical evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed due to his death.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes, both presumed due to herbicide agent exposure during the Veteran's period of service in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, arthritis, diverticulosis, allergies, coronary artery disease (CAD), and skin cancer have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for heart condition and diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred in service due to herbicide exposure. Service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea secondary to PTSD are remanded as the evidence does not support these claims.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70% rating, but the claims for diabetes with peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and COPD were denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with effective date of July 1, 2020. The conditions were found to be related to his active duty service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's diabetes, migraine headaches, and hypertension claims should be remanded for further development. Specifically, they need to verify the Veteran’s periods of active and inactive duty training with the Texas Army National Guard, obtain his VA treatment records from February 2018 onwards, and conduct examinations to determine the etiology of his diabetes and current severity of his migraine headaches and hypertension.