Diabetes decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and maintain gainful employment prior to November 4, 2017.

The Veteran is granted eligibility for specially adapted housing due to his service-connected lumbar degenerative disc disease with IVDS and bilateral lower extremities neuropathy, which precludes locomotion without assistive devices. Eligibility for automobile or adaptive equipment was denied as the Veteran does not meet the criteria of loss of use of a hand or foot.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is presumed to be related to his in-service exposure to Agent Orange, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on multiple conditions is granted, and he will receive VR&E services to pursue additional education up to a Bachelor’s degree in environmental science.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is granted a 70 percent evaluation, and his diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction is denied. The Veteran also receives a TDIU.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities are granted increased disability ratings. Service connection for renal dysfunction secondary to diabetes mellitus type II is also granted.

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, a cardiac disability to include heart failure (pacemaker installed), hypertension, and prostate cancer with benign prostate hypertrophy. The evidence does not support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran's cause of death is granted due to metastatic lung cancer presumed related to herbicide exposure.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus type II is granted on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since December 1, 2009. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on unemployability (TDIU) for this period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the effective date of his tinnitus service connection was not advanced as requested.

The Board has remanded the case for a determination on whether the Veteran is entitled to a TDIU prior to September 12, 2018. The issue will be reviewed with consideration of all service-connected disabilities and their impact on employment.

The Board has remanded the claim due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's diabetes, specifically whether it is related to his service-connected resection of the large intestine.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection of hypertension, finding that a new VA examination is necessary to determine if it is related to his diabetes mellitus type II or any other service-connected condition.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and found new and material evidence. However, it denied the claim on the merits as there was no competent evidence showing that the Veteran developed diabetes during his military service or due to herbicide exposure in Korea.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to lumbar spine degenerative disc disease. The claims for hypertension, DM, acquired psychiatric disorder, symptomatic paroxysmal atrial flutter, glaucoma, left and right lower extremity diabetic neuropathy, and right knee strain are all remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease were denied as there was no evidence of in-service incurrence or a link to herbicide exposure. The Board found that the conditions did not meet the criteria for direct service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus is denied as he does not have a current diagnosis of the condition.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus. The claims for peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities are remanded due to a need for further examination.

The Board has decided that the service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II requires additional development due to incomplete information about the Veteran's periods of active duty and inactive duty training.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for additional development, including new examinations to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.