Diabetes decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and an acquired psychiatric condition due to a lack of examination or opinion on these issues.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for diabetes was granted. The appeal is remanded for further action on the PTSD and TDIU claims.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus has been reopened, but the issue remains denied. The effective dates for other claims have not been established.

The Board has remanded the cases for issuance of an SOC addressing the issues of higher ratings for diabetic neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities. The TDIU issue is also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for accrued benefits and substitution of claimant due to a request from the appellant. The issues will be reconsidered after determining if the appellant is qualified as a substitute.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, diabetes mellitus type II (DM II), and prostate cancer due to herbicide agent exposure have been granted. The claim for secondary service connection for peripheral neuropathy of each extremity due to DM II has also been granted.,Service connection is established for the Veteran’s peripheral neuropathy, diabetes mellitus type II (DM II), and prostate cancer based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents during active duty.

The Board has remanded the claims for type 2 diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, and bilateral hearing loss due to potential herbicide exposure. Additional development is needed to corroborate the Veteran's assertions of exposure and determine the etiology of his current conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for further processing regarding substitution of the Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, type 2 due to incomplete development regarding his claimed Vietnam-era service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2 and ischemic heart disease as due to exposure to herbicides has been remanded due to the need for further verification of exposure in Korea.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and prostate cancer, both presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, as these are inextricably intertwined with the claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II. The RO should adjudicate the supplemental claim of diabetes mellitus, type II before readjudicating the peripheral neuropathy claims.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus, type II are granted service connection as due to herbicide agent exposure. The Board has remanded for further examination on the remaining issues.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for diabetes mellitus type II with retinopathy and erectile dysfunction was denied. Separate compensable ratings were also not granted for diabetic retinopathy or erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU as they are rated less than 60% combined and none exceed 40%. The Board finds that his service-connected conditions alone do not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied an increased disability rating for diabetes mellitus, type II, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not warrant a higher rating due to his ability to perform activities without regulation.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus, both presumed to be due to herbicide agent exposure in Thailand.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and hypertension. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II was not shown to have been incurred in or aggravated by his military service, as there is no evidence of its onset during service or within one year thereafter. Similarly, the record does not show that the Veteran's hypertension had its onset during service or within a post-service year. The Board also found that the Veteran did not provide any evidence of herbicide exposure and thus could not establish service connection based on presumptive exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has dismissed all claims due to the death of the Appellant, as appellants' claims do not survive their death.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, thoracolumbar spine disorder, and cervical spine disorder due to potential aggravation during service. The Veteran's type I diabetes was diagnosed in 2000, but there is no evidence of its presence prior to her last period of active duty from October 2002 to April 2004. A VA examination will be needed to determine if the condition was aggravated by service and whether it is related to a pre-existing condition.