Diabetes decisions — 2020

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and low back disability, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's diabetic retinopathy is now rated at 40% effective May 13, 2018.,Service connection for the Veteran’s diabetic retinopathy was granted prior to May 18, 2017.,The Veteran's low back disability remains at a 20% rating.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and active service.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings, service connection for leukemia and diabetes mellitus type II, and reopening of previously denied arthritis and tinnitus claims have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuropathy, and erectile dysfunction due to herbicide exposure. The case is returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus has been reopened due to new evidence. The claims for diabetic neuropathy and sleep apnea with COPD are being remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the diabetes mellitus claim.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic nephropathy, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, are being remanded for further evaluation due to a potential worsening since his last VA examination in June 2015.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of his disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, Type II and/or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left upper extremity neuropathy associated with type II diabetes is denied as the evidence does not support a finding of 'severe' incomplete paralysis or more serious conditions of the nerves in the radicular groups in the left arm, and the most nearly approximated disability level is 30 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes and hypertension have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,For financial assistance in purchasing a vehicle or adaptive equipment, the Veteran does not meet the eligibility criteria as he is not diagnosed with any of the specified disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and diabetes, do not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that TDIU is denied as his combined rating is at least 80 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection due to insufficient verification of the Veteran's claimed service in the Republic of Vietnam. Additional development is needed to verify his alleged service.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, arthritis, a vision disorder, neuropathy of the left upper extremity, neuropathy of the right upper extremity, and a kidney disorder. The decision found no in-service incurrence or exposure to herbicides that could support presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, type II, asthma, sleep apnea and heart disability is remanded due to the submission of new evidence. The low back disability claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including blurred vision secondary to diabetes and ischemic heart disease, have left him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis for the period of appeal. Service connection for blurred vision is remanded due to inadequate VA examination.

The Board granted service connection for right ear hearing loss due to in-service noise exposure. Service connection for diabetes mellitus II was denied as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during service, and the Veteran's current diagnosis cannot be linked to his military service.

The Veteran has withdrawn all his claims for service connection and increased ratings, including those related to low back disorder, neck disorder, sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss disability, residual scar on forehead, and a temporary total rating based on convalescence for a back surgery.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer, peripheral neuropathy, and diabetic peripheral vascular disease, rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular threshold percentage requirements for a TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a). The claim is remanded to be submitted to VA’s Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.