Diabetes decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from engaging in substantially gainful employment, as his last employer was able to accommodate his hearing loss and he has no other evidence showing that his disabilities render him unable to work.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, diabetic retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy, kidney disability, GERD, hypertension, and vertigo. The claims are being reviewed due to new evidence received since the previous denial.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for gout, breathing problems due to herbicide exposure, nephropathy due to herbicide exposure, anemia due to herbicide exposure, and borderline diabetes have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeals prior to a decision being made.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, and diabetes mellitus due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when considered in the aggregate, limit his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has ordered additional examination and opinion regarding this issue.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II has been managed with a restricted diet and oral hypoglycemic agent, warranting a 20 percent rating.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that the Veteran's obesity and resultant type 2 diabetes mellitus was aggravated by his service-connected PTSD and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to maintain substantial gainful employment from December 19, 2002, to July 5, 2004. The Board granted a TDIU for this period.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy are rated at 20 percent each, which is the maximum rating available under the applicable VA Rating Schedule.

An increased disability rating of 20 percent for left lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy is granted prior to August 14, 2012.,An increased disability rating of 40 percent for right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy is granted from August 14, 2012.,An increased disability rating of 30 percent for left upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy is granted prior to May 20, 2017.,A disability rating higher than 30 percent for left upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy involving all radicular groups is denied from May 20, 2017 to July 1, 2020.,An increased disability rating of 30 percent for left upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy is granted from July 1, 2020.,An increased disability rating of 40 percent for right upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy is granted prior to May 20, 2017.,A disability rating higher than 40 percent for right upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy involving all radicular groups is denied from May 20, 2017 to July 1, 2020.,An increased disability rating of 40 percent for right upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy is granted from July 1, 2020.

The Veteran is eligible for specially adapted housing due to his service-connected disabilities, which result in the effective loss of use of both lower extremities. The appeal seeking a special home adaptation grant is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's claims for high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and benign prostatic hyperplasia have been denied as they are not related to service.,The Veteran's claim for a back disorder is remanded due to the need for further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of hepatitis C, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma as secondary to hepatitis C, and diabetes mellitus, type II as secondary to hepatitis C due to incomplete compliance with previous directives.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II (diabetes), finding that there was no evidence of its onset during or related to his military service. The Board also found no herbicide exposure in service and thus could not grant presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's SMC claim is denied as he does not meet the criteria for aid and attendance or housebound status due to his service-connected disabilities, with the need for regular aid and assistance primarily attributed to non-service-connected cognitive impairments.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lung cancer and diabetes mellitus type II due to ionizing radiation exposure. The remand is required because VA did not obtain accurate records of the Veteran's unit assignment, which could affect his eligibility for benefits.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and related conditions are denied as there is no evidence of in-service disease or injury.,Service connection for left upper extremity neuropathy, hypertension, benign prostatic hyperplasia, diabetic retinopathy, right upper extremity neuropathy, right lower extremity neuropathy, and left lower extremity neuropathy secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II are also denied due to lack of service-connected primary disability.,The Veteran's claimed conditions were not shown as chronic in service or within a year following separation from service. The Board finds no evidence of herbicide exposure during service and the VA examiner opined that there is no link between the Veteran’s current disabilities and his military service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II disability was denied for ratings higher than the current assigned ratings. The case is remanded to obtain a medical opinion regarding the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to work.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board denied a higher rating.,The Veteran's hypertension is currently rated at 10 percent. The Board found that it more nearly approximated this level of disability throughout the appeal period.,The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of IHD, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, type II were denied as they were not received before the applicable liberalizing laws took effect.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for his service-connected diabetes mellitus was denied because it was filed after the May 8, 2001 law that added diabetes to the list of presumptively related conditions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and remanded the issue of service connection for diabetes mellitus due to exposure at Fort McClellan.