Diabetes decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus. The cases of diabetes mellitus type II and bilateral hearing loss are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his reported exposure to herbicide agents during service, as well as other issues related to diabetes and psychiatric conditions. The claims will be further developed to attempt to corroborate the Veteran’s account of in-service stressors.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, type II; hypertension; erectile dysfunction (ED); peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities; and an acquired psychiatric disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and clarification of evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU rating for the periods specified.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an eye condition was granted, but his request for a higher evaluation for his skin condition was denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, COPD, and a left eyelid disability due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology. The VA is requested to obtain independent medical opinions from non-VA experts in endocrinology and internal medicine.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death due to malignant melanoma, finding that it was not caused by his in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The diabetes is also considered a contributory cause but not causative.

The Board has determined that new and relevant service records have been added to the claims file, necessitating a reconsideration of the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II; acquired psychiatric disorder; and tinnitus service connection claims. The claims are being remanded for further development including VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with diabetes mellitus, type II presumed related to exposure to herbicide agents while in service. Hypertension and erectile dysfunction are also granted as presumptive conditions. Service connection is established for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and major depressive disorder).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to non-compliance with previous remand directives, particularly regarding verification of his periods of active service, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of PTSD was denied, as the evidence did not show occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.,The Veteran's appeal for TDIU was also denied, as his service-connected disabilities alone did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, diabetes mellitus, type II, peripheral neuropathy of bilateral upper and lower extremities, right eye diabetic retinopathy, prostatitis with urethritis, bilateral hearing loss, tinea pedis with diabetic dermopathy, and tinea cruris has been granted. Effective dates have not yet been determined for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's open angle glaucoma is caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for service-connected bilateral cataracts and diabetic retinopathy is being remanded due to incomplete records from Dr. Gupta, South Side Regional Medical Center, and Kenner Army Military Medical Center.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have worsened, and additional VA examinations are needed to determine the current level of disability for each condition. The issue of entitlement to an increased rating for SMC is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus and bilateral leg rash due to insufficient evidence regarding exposure to herbicides during active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, and a TDIU is granted. The issue of a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss on an extraschedular basis is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer, type II diabetes, PTSD, tinnitus, and diabetic neuropathy, have caused his erectile dysfunction. As a result, both the claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction and the SMC claim based on loss of use of a creative organ are granted.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's left lower extremity femoral nerve diabetic peripheral neuropathy, finding that the disability is primarily manifest by mild to moderate incomplete paralysis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss and tinnitus, have been granted. However, the issues of service connection for hypertension, skin disorder (including actinic keratosis and rosacea), diabetes mellitus, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are remanded due to insufficient evidence or procedural errors.