Diabetes decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and bilateral nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy are denied as there is no evidence of in-service disease or injury, and the conditions are not related to any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating greater than 20 percent for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM II) was denied. The criteria for a higher rating were not met as the Veteran did not require regulation of activities due to DM II.

The Veteran's PTSD was denied an initial rating in excess of 70 percent from December 20, 2017. The Board also found that the criteria for a TDIU were not met prior to July 17, 2009.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as new and material evidence was not received to reopen the previously denied claims. Service connection was also denied for hepatic steatosis and chronic kidney disease due to lack of a causal relationship with military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for PTSD, sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD, prostate cancer and DMII are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, finding no evidence of in-service exposure to causative agents and noting the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and diabetes mellitus type II, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted an initial rating of 70 percent.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus type II as a result of herbicide exposure is remanded due to lack of evidence of contact with Agent Orange in the Dominican Republic.,Secondary service connection claims for various conditions are remanded due to the need to establish herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are granted.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus, but denied for diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his previously denied claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, headaches, and bone/joint disorders in both lower extremities. The appeals are remanded for further development regarding these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to conflicting medical evidence regarding his diabetes complications, specifically macular edema and osteomyelitis. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's death was related to his service, specifically his presumed herbicide exposure and side effects of medications for his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including reopening of service connection claims for various conditions and issues related to hearing loss, carotid endarterectomies, vocal polyps, diabetes mellitus, type II, and retinopathy. The Veteran's spouse is being provided with the appropriate notice regarding these matters.

For the period prior to December 3, 2019, the Veteran's diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction and retinopathy was rated at 20 percent. The appeal is denied as the disability does not meet or approximate criteria for a higher rating.,For the period starting December 3, 2019, the Veteran's diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction and retinopathy was rated at 40 percent. The appeal is denied as the disability does not meet or approximate criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetic peripheral neuropathy has been granted initial disability ratings of 20 percent for the left and right lower extremities, as well as the left and right upper extremities. The conditions are rated based on mild to moderate incomplete paralysis.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for Type II Diabetes Mellitus, for accrued benefits purposes only, due to a lack of evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides and because diabetes did not manifest within one year of separation from service.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, anxiety disorder, and lower back disorder were denied. The appeals for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and lower back disorder are being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant, and no service connection claims were decided.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since March 7, 2013. The Board granted the TDIU on an extraschedular basis effective from that date.

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to reopen claims for service connection for atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, posttraumatic stress disorder, and diabetes mellitus type II. The evidence submitted since June 2015 did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate these claims.