Diabetes decisions — 2020

The Veteran's death was caused by his service-connected disabilities, specifically Meniere’s syndrome and the cardiovascular conditions. The Board found that these conditions aggravated his heart issues and contributed to his cause of death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for loss of teeth due to Hodgkin’s disease is denied. The right shoulder degenerative joint disease with impingement syndrome is granted a 40% evaluation.

The Board has remanded the claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 and service connection for CAD, DM, and HTN secondary to cervical/lumbar spine disabilities due to incomplete development of evidence.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus type II and coronary artery disease have been granted. Service connection for high blood pressure, which is secondary to diabetes mellitus type II, has also been granted. The claim for hearing loss remains pending as the VA examination scheduled was not conducted.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and found that the Veteran's other claimed conditions are secondary to his service-connected sleep apnea. The VA is directed to obtain updated treatment records, including addendum medical opinions regarding the etiology of diabetes, gout, kidney disorder, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and eye disorder.

The Veteran's diabetic nephropathy was granted an increased rating to 80 percent effective from November 10, 2016. Prior to this date, the condition had been rated at 60 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his diabetes mellitus, type II (DMII), finding that it did not require regulation of activity in addition to daily insulin and restricted diet.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, as well as his asthma and sinus disability are all granted. The Veteran is also awarded TDIU beginning December 1, 2019, and SMC effective December 1, 2019.

The Veteran's service connection for diabetes is granted as secondary to exposure to herbicides, based on his credible statement that he traveled near the perimeter of Ubon Royal Thailand Air Base during his time stationed there.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities due to exposure to herbicide agents as his appeal is no longer before the Board because he died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for Ischemic Heart Disease and TDIU prior to October 20, 2011 were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating or TDIU based on service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development to determine the nature and severity of his service-connected bilateral macular degeneration, as well as whether his diagnosed bilateral cataracts are a complication of his service-connected diabetes. The rating for his diabetic retinopathy with cataracts and macular degeneration from December 11, 2018 is also remanded to ensure the current severity of his condition is assessed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including malignant melanoma, lymphoma, tinnitus, obesity, diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, bilateral hearing loss disability, peripheral neuropathy of the left and right feet, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and sleep apnea have all been denied. The denial is based on a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or any other relevant factor.

The Veteran's service in Thailand during the Vietnam Era is presumed to have exposed him to herbicides, which allows for presumptive service connection of diabetes.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus and whether obesity, which may be aggravated by diabetes mellitus, contributed to his OSA.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus type II cannot be established as secondary to in-service herbicide exposure due to insufficient evidence of such exposure.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is rated at a 40 percent since January 14, 2015. The rating is granted for this period.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, diabetic neuropathy of the four extremities, and erectile dysfunction due to potential exposure to herbicide agents during service. Further development is needed to determine if the Veteran was exposed to Agent Orange while serving aboard USS Ranger in the Gulf of Tonkin.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives regarding service connection for diabetes mellitus. The examiner is asked to address whether the Veteran's DM is related to in-service chemical exposure and whether it is aggravated by any acquired psychiatric disorder.