Diabetes decisions — 2020

The Veteran's kidney removal disability is rated at 60 percent from December 18, 2013 and thereafter. The other service-connected disabilities have been granted or maintained.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is denied as there was no evidence of acoustic trauma during service and the VA examiner found it less likely than not related to service.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension are denied due to lack of in-service onset or relationship to service, with post-service diagnoses beginning many years after separation from service.,The Veteran's asthma is currently rated at 30 percent under Diagnostic Code 6602. The VA examiner found no evidence of more than one attack per week with episodes of respiratory failure, monthly visits for care of exacerbations, or daily use of systemic corticosteroids or immunosuppressive medications.,The Veteran's asthma is not rated higher as the current rating already reflects his need for daily inhalation therapy and anti-inflammatory medication.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and ratings for various conditions, including coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, perforated tympanic membrane, biclonal gammopathy with multiple myeloma, pulmonary nodules of the right lung, and immune thrombocytopenic purpura. The effective dates were not earlier than September 19, 2011.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is rated at 40 percent, and the Board has granted this rating. The case is remanded for further evaluation of whether additional conditions related to diabetes require separate ratings.

The Veteran's claims for eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing and a special home adaptation grant are remanded due to the need for substantial compliance with prior Board directives.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral tinnitus, diabetes mellitus type II (DM-II), and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to service-connected PTSD due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claim for a retrospective examination to assess the impact of service-connected disabilities on the Veteran's work capacity during the period from April 21, 2014 to February 1, 2016. The effective date is not addressed as it pertains to the retroactive application of a 100% schedular rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetic nephrology, erectile dysfunction secondary to diabetes, and eye condition secondary to diabetes due to insufficient reasons provided in the original decision. The Veteran's fatigue related to his diabetic nephrology is also being reviewed, as well as a psychiatric examination and an assessment of whether he has an eye condition or erectile dysfunction disability.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides during his active duty at Udorn Air Force Base in Thailand and granting presumptive service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2 and hypertension. The Board found that there was no evidence of diabetes during or within one year after service, and that hypertension did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents in service. The claims will be reconsidered after this development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and type II diabetes mellitus due to lack of exposure to herbicides like Agent Orange during his active duty in Thailand. The Board also found that these conditions were not present during service or related to service.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and diabetes mellitus, type II as the Veteran's claimed stressors related to covert operations in Southeast Asia have not been verified by independent sources. The evidence also failed to show service in Vietnam.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to May 4, 2013. The evidence did not show that his service-connected disabilities alone prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, sleep apnea, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, Type II. The Veteran's stomach condition other than IBS with diverticulitis and diverticulosis is denied.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death due to new and material evidence. However, the appeal is remanded as further development is needed before a final decision can be made.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right eye diabetic retinopathy, finding that it is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has granted service connection for a vestibular disability, but the issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, glaucoma, bilateral lower extremity disability, and prostate cancer remain remanded due to lack of verification of herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and kidney disease, as secondary to asthma. The Veteran needs further medical opinions regarding the etiology of her conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2 (DM2), due to herbicide exposure is being remanded for further investigation of the USS Constitution's location during his deployments in Vietnam.