Diabetes decisions — 2020

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is granted as service connected due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his service on the USS Mattaponi.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Type 2 diabetes mellitus, including as due to herbicide exposure, is being remanded for additional development. The Board notes that the USS Oriskany, USS Midway, USS King, and USS Coral Sea were not in Vietnamese waters during the time periods when the Veteran’s squadron detachment was aboard these ships.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus (DMII) and coronary artery disease (CAD) has been granted.,Service connection is also granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, with the presumption of exposure to herbicide agents in Korea.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims of service connection and rating for various conditions, including anxiety disorder, diabetes mellitus, heart disability, peripheral neuropathy in the lower and upper extremities, as well as TDIU. The Veteran will be provided with new VA examinations to address these issues.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ was granted. Additionally, his claims for increased ratings for diabetic peripheral neuropathy in both lower extremities were also granted.

The Veteran's diabetes was granted service connection and an initial rating of 20 percent for a right ring finger scar. The Veteran's PTSD with depression and TBI is granted an initial rating of 70 percent prior to April 8, 2015, but denied any increase in rating after that date.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sexual dysfunction, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus due to potential issues with the current medical opinions provided. The Veteran's claims are not granted as there is no evidence of a current disability related to these conditions.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are granted a 30 percent rating. Service connection for cardiovascular disorder, diabetes mellitus type II, lumbar spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, and chin disorder is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, finding it likely that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his service in Thailand and that he currently suffers from this condition.

The Board has decided that a more contemporaneous VA examination is required to properly assess the current severity of the Veteran's diabetic retinopathy with macular edema, as the Veteran reported worsening symptoms since his last examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for retinitis, diabetes mellitus, PTSD, and ischemic heart disease in June 2019.

The Board dismissed all issues of appeal, including those related to hypertension and earlier effective dates for service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to potential exposure to hazardous chemicals or toxins, including PCBs and trichlorethylene, while stationed at Fort McClellan in 1972. The Veteran's diabetes is being reviewed again with a focus on verifying her exposure history.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of verification of his claimed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The Veteran served on temporary duty orders (TDY) in Vietnam, but there is no evidence confirming these TDY assignments.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for diabetes mellitus before the Board made a decision.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disability, stomach disability, and diabetes mellitus, type II. The Veteran did not have these conditions due to his active service or exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's back pain is not related to service, but tinnitus was found to be related.,Bilateral hearing loss and knee disability were denied as there is no current disability for VA purposes. The eye condition was diagnosed after service.

The Board denied service connection for thyroid cancer, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, type II, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia as there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during service. The Veteran's claims were not supported by credible evidence.

The Veteran's surviving spouse filed a claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of a 60 percent rating for diabetic nephropathy, but the Board denied this claim as the application was not timely filed and there were no claims pending at the time of the Veteran's death.

The Board denied service connection for Barrett’s esophagus, blood disorder (anemia), diabetes mellitus type II, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy. The reasons provided were that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service onset or relationship to an in-service injury or disease.,The Board also denied service connection for these conditions on a direct basis, as there was no showing of chronicity within presumptive periods or continuity of symptomatology.