Diabetes decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus, type II, as due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is remanded for further evaluation, and his TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and heart disability, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the claims. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim period from October 28, 2011 to February 1, 2012 is moot due to the combined schedular rating of 100 percent for all disabilities. The Board denied an earlier effective date prior to August 1, 2013 as there was no factual basis to determine that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable during this period.

Service connection for glaucoma is denied.,An effective date prior to February 22, 2017 for the award of service connection for major depressive disorder with anxious distress disorder is denied.,An effective date of August 9, 2015 (but no earlier) for the award of service connection for diabetic retinopathy is granted, subject to regulations governing the payment of monetary awards.,Entitlement to an initial compensable rating for diabetic retinopathy is denied.,Entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for type 2 diabetes mellitus is denied.,Entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent (prior to February 15, 2017) and in excess of 40 percent (from February 15, 2017) for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is denied.,Entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent (prior to February 15, 2017) and in excess of 40 percent (from February 15, 2017) for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is denied.,An effective date of August 9, 2015 (but no earlier) for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU rating) is granted, subject to regulations governing the payment of monetary awards.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were partially granted, with a rating higher than 20 percent denied for lumbar spine stenosis and a remand ordered for further examination to address the right leg peripheral neuropathy. The RLE neurologic claudication claim was not addressed in this decision.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, right upper extremity pain, left upper extremity pain, right lower extremity pain, left lower extremity pain, and a kidney condition due to inextricability with the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus. Additional development is needed regarding whether obesity is an intermediate step between the Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease and diabetes.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is rated at 20 percent and his unspecified depressive disorder is rated at 30 percent. Both conditions are denied for increased ratings.

The Board has reopened the claims for vertigo, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II, and residuals of a traumatic brain injury due to new and material evidence. The claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded due to inadequate notice of the upcoming VA examination. The initial rating for PTSD is also being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and TDIU prior to October 1, 2018 is denied. The Board has ordered additional examinations for the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy and neurogenic bladder.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus type II prior to February 26, 2020 and in excess of 40 percent thereafter is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities (secondary to diabetes), and TDIU due to his service-connected conditions. The issues are related to in-service herbicide exposure which is not fully verified.,A rating decision denying a higher rating for hemorrhoids remains unchanged.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and further development is needed.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for tinnitus is dismissed as he withdrew his claim prior to the Board's decision.,His bilateral hearing loss remains at a 30 percent disability rating, which is the highest possible under the schedular criteria. No higher rating is warranted given the effective date of this award.,The Veteran’s claims for service connection for a heart condition, type II diabetes mellitus, and CKD are remanded due to outstanding private medical records from Dr. A.M. and Dr. P.L.,His claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus is also remanded as it involves herbicide exposure, but the Veteran has not provided any relevant private treatment records.,The Veteran’s claim for service connection for CKD remains pending due to outstanding private medical records from Dr. A.M. and Dr. P.L.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and related neuropathy conditions have been granted a temporary increased rating of 40 percent from June 7, 2017 to November 5, 2019. Prior to this period, the Veteran's diabetes mellitus was rated at 20 percent, while his diabetic peripheral neuropathy has not met criteria for higher ratings.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for hypertension and erectile dysfunction, both claimed as secondary to type II diabetes mellitus.,Further development is needed to determine if these conditions are proximately due to or aggravated by the service-connected type II diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and the need for a new VA examination. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II, along with its complications such as neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities and hypertension, will be evaluated.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the cause of death and the relationship between service-connected conditions and the Veteran's death.

The Board has granted service connection for ulcerative colitis, but denied the claims for hypertension, adenocarcinoma of the lung, neoplasm of the kidney, and diabetic nephropathy and renal dysfunction. The Veteran's preexisting ulcerative colitis was aggravated by service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased rating for service-connected diabetes mellitus and denial of service connection for kidney disease, finding no clear and unmistakable error in either decision.