Diabetes decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and sleep apnea have been denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.,A rating in excess of 70 percent prior to April 16, 2019 for PTSD with alcohol use disorder has also been denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to herbicide exposure, including diabetes mellitus, left knee disability, hole in the palette (mouth), cyst in eardrum, left shoulder disability, right foot plantar fasciitis, and left foot plantar fasciitis. The records from San Diego VAMC and Fort Bliss VAMC are requested, as well as any SSA records related to his disability benefits.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus was granted. Service connection is also granted for type II diabetes mellitus, but the claims for left and right ear hearing loss are denied.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities. The main reasons for the remand include providing adequate statements of reasons or bases for increased ratings, obtaining medical opinions regarding employment impact due to service-connected conditions, and resolving conflicts in evidence concerning the severity of diabetes mellitus.

The Board denied service connection for acquired psychiatric disability including PTSD and depression, residuals of throat cancer, heart disability, respiratory disability, and diabetes mellitus type II. The Veteran's claims were not supported by medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of CAD, DMII, and BLEDN, as well as service connection for hypertension were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings or service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's requests to reopen his previously denied service connection claims for diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic neuropathy with right eye blindness and severely impaired vision of the left eye, and end stage renal disease. The evidence received since the August 2014 denial was not new or material.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including verification of herbicide exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents in Guam during her military service and thus meeting the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions have been granted, with tinnitus presumed to have been incurred in service and the other conditions having their service connections established on a presumptive basis.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for a teeth condition, including loss of teeth, associated with diabetes mellitus type II (DM2) for compensation purposes due to lack of evidence showing that the lost teeth were not replaceable.

The claim for service connection for diabetic nephropathy was granted with an effective date of November 22, 2011. The appellant's appeal to extend the effective date beyond this date is denied.

The Board denied service connection for loss of vision and TDIU due to the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type 2, finding that his current eye disabilities are not related to military service or his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history.

The Veteran's tinnitus, hypertension, and diabetes were granted service connection on an accrued basis. Bilateral hearing loss, peripheral vascular disease (PVD), and COPD were denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are granted. The rating for GERD remains at 10 percent.

The Veteran's hypertension with renal insufficiency is rated at 60 percent, and his TDIU claim is granted due to multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right testicle dysfunction and diabetes mellitus type II (DM II) as there is no current evidence of these conditions, and the Veteran did not have exposure to herbicide agents during his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder and remanded the remaining issues due to new evidence. The Veteran's current major depressive disorder is related to his military service.

The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, due to in-service exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange). The Veteran served on active duty in Thailand and his MOS involved him near the perimeter of the station where he was exposed to herbicides.