Diabetes decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes and PTSD, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted entitlement to Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the claim for TDIU due to new evidence and issues not adequately addressed in previous decisions.

The Board has denied service connection for Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Prostatitis, and Acquired Psychiatric Disorder. The claim for increased rating of Heart Disability is remanded. Further development is needed to determine the etiology of Pancreatitis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II due to Agent Orange exposure is remanded as the records have not been located and it needs to be determined if his ship, USS San Jose, served in the 12 nautical mile territory of the Republic of Vietnam during his time aboard.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lung condition, multiple myeloma, and type II diabetes due to lack of current disability evidence. The Veteran was exposed to herbicides in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, type II, Hepatitis C, prostate cancer, and urinary incontinence due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for diabetes mellitus type II prior to September 21, 2012 and denied a rating in excess of 20 percent thereafter. The Veteran's diabetes was managed with an oral hypoglycemic agent and restricted diet after September 21, 2012.

Service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy was granted in a December 2019 rating decision and is therefore dismissed.,New and material evidence has not been received to reopen claims of service connection for rhinitis, hypertension, or bilateral hip disability.,Service connection for a brain disability, neck disability, and ED have not been established due to lack of in-service incurrence or aggravation.,Service connection for vertigo/syncope is remanded as no examination has been conducted.,Service connection for diabetes is remanded as deck logs are needed to determine potential exposure to herbicide agents.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board dismissed the appeal of the issue regarding asthma. The claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, PTSD, residuals of a stroke, and depression/anxiety have been reopened but denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board denied service connection for prostate disorder, diabetes mellitus type 2, colon cancer, and coronary artery disease due to a lack of evidence showing exposure to Agent Orange or any other toxic herbicide in service. The Veteran's current conditions were not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.,SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person from November 2014 through February 2015 was granted, but after that period it was denied.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine the current severity of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, primary open-angle glaucoma, and sleep apnea. The issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, and a thyroid disability are also remanded due to lack of medical nexus opinions. The TDIU issue remains inextricably intertwined with these other issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent for diabetes mellitus, type II, on an extraschedular basis. The evidence did not indicate that the Veteran's symptoms and manifestations were exceptional or unusual.

The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, was not incurred during service or as a result of an in-service injury, disease, or event. Therefore, his claim for service connection is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cause of death and DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318, finding that his death was not caused by any service-connected disabilities or related to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the cases of hepatitis C, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including major depressive disorder and PTSD), and diabetes mellitus due to potential service connection issues. Specifically, it is unclear if the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents while serving aboard the U.S.S. Fresno in Vietnam waters.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of heart, right knee, left knee, low back, and skin disorders have been remanded by the Board.,No effective date has been assigned as all issues are currently being reviewed.

The Board has determined that additional service records are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for diabetes, bilateral hearing loss, lumbosacral strain (chronic lower back pain), missing lower teeth, and permanent scarring of the lower lip. The VA will obtain these records and then readjudicate the cases.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his exposure to Camp Lejeune contaminated water, as he served at the base for over a month. The VA is instructed to obtain medical opinions regarding whether each of the claimed conditions are related to this exposure.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for Parkinson's disease, diabetes, and ischemic heart disease is granted. The claims are remanded for further development.