Diabetes decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further development regarding his exposure to herbicide agents and whether he served in the Republic of Vietnam under the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019. The claims will also be reviewed for secondary service connection.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection of peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities due to a withdrawal by the Veteran's representative. The appeals for diabetes and Parkinson's disease are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of substantial compliance with previous instructions. The appeal is now focused on verifying if the Veteran was exposed to Agent Orange during his service in Thailand, which would allow for a presumption of service connection.

The Veteran's DM2 and coronary artery disease are granted service connection due to presumed herbicide exposure. The Board has found the Veteran should be afforded VA examinations to determine if his hypertension, neuropathy of upper and lower extremities is related to his active service including presumed herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death and its relationship to service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type two, hypertension, and renal disease are granted service connection. His bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is also granted service connection. The Veteran's right and left knee patellofemoral syndromes have been granted increased ratings.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of type II diabetes mellitus was denied as there is no pending appeal for a CUE claim and the Nehmer provisions do not apply in this case.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is found to have contributed substantially or materially to his death from metastatic esophageal cancer, and the Board grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure and insufficient medical evidence to establish a link between his current condition and service.

The Board has granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder (depressive disorder) as secondary to service-connected disabilities, and for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected disabilities. The claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus and lumbar spine disability have been reopened due to new and material evidence, but the applications remain denied. Service connection is granted for these conditions. The Veteran's coronary artery disease remains rated at 60% and hypertension at 10%. These ratings are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to exposure to herbicide agents and toxins, including DMII, peripheral neuropathy of upper and lower extremities, and hysterectomy. The claims are being reviewed again as there is insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure at Fort McClellan.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder impingement syndrome with rotator cuff tendonitis and diabetes mellitus type II (secondary to herbicide agent exposure) based on the Veteran's in-service injury and presumed exposure to herbicide agents while serving off the coast of Vietnam.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims for service connection, including those involving diabetes mellitus and hypertension. The main issue is whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen these claims.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicide agents during service in the inland waterways of the Republic of Vietnam.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and dismissed the appeal of diabetes mellitus II.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations of his service-connected diabetes mellitus, left and right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy as he withdrew these claims at a hearing. The Veteran was granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for B-cell lymphoma and diabetes mellitus, Type II, both secondary to herbicide agent exposure while stationed at Camp Samae San in Thailand.

The Board has decided that further development is needed to determine if the Veteran was exposed to Agent Orange during his service aboard USS Bennington (CVS-20). The claims for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, peripheral neuropathies, and erectile dysfunction are remanded due to this exposure determination.

The Veteran's service connection claim for diabetes mellitus type II is granted as it is presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during his time stationed near the DMZ in Korea.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus may be due to his service aboard the USS Tolovana and potential herbicide exposure. However, further evidence is needed to determine if he was within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam during this period.