Diabetes decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to exposure to herbicides, including arteriosclerotic heart disease, type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, bilateral retinopathy, neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities, as well as issues related to his service-connected diabetes. The remand requires obtaining relevant reports from the U.S. Army and other agencies.

The Board denied service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, finding that the Veteran's current condition did not manifest during or as a result of his military service. The issue of secondary service connection for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus was remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the cases due to procedural issues, including failing to issue a Statement of the Case for the initial grant of service connection and an earlier effective date.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of November 1, 2012 for the Veteran's cause of death due to exposure to Agent Orange and pre-existing heart condition. The appellant is also entitled to service connection for cause of death.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient consideration of recent VA examination reports, and the claim for a TDIU will be reconsidered with these new documents.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of total social or occupational impairment. The Veteran's DM-II is rated at 20 percent and does not warrant an increase in disability rating.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II has been rated at 20 percent since May 22, 2018. The Board found that the evidence did not show regulation of activities or episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring hospitalization or loss of weight due to diabetes.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected. The Board also found support for the Veteran's claims of lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, and back disability based on in-service exposure to asbestos and other factors.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for obesity, diabetes mellitus type II, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, and osteoarthritis (including of the bilateral hands, right knee, right hip, left shoulder, and neck), all claimed as secondary to service-connected cognitive disorder. The claims are remanded for additional development.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence of exposure to herbicide agents during the Veteran's service in Korea and no current diagnosis or link between his diabetes and service.,The Board also denied service connection for a bilateral foot disorder, concluding there was no diagnosed condition related to diabetes and noting the Veteran did not provide competent medical evidence supporting such a claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and coronary artery disease, as due to exposure to herbicide agents, is granted. The Board found that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides while serving aboard the U.S.S. Ponchatoula in waters off Vietnam.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU based on this finding.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and associated peripheral neuropathies are rated at the maximum allowable under VA guidelines, with no higher ratings granted. The Veteran is not entitled to a TDIU prior to November 22, 2011.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease, obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and major depressive disorder due to possible exposure to herbicide defoliants while serving on Guam. The case is returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Veteran requested to withdraw all appeals regarding his diabetes mellitus, type II with erectile dysfunction and osteoarthritis and chronic ACL tear of the right knee. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Board denied a higher disability rating for bilateral cataracts with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy, finding that the Veteran's visual acuity and field test results did not warrant a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence for service connection of various conditions, including diabetes mellitus type II, right knee condition, lumbosacral strain (back condition), left elbow condition, pes planus, and residuals of melanoma.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hypertension, which was secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination and reasoning regarding the Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy (upper and lower extremities), and diabetic retinopathy due to new evidence or further clarification of the etiology.