Diabetes decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, artery disease of the bilateral legs, diabetes mellitus, and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy due to service-connected HIV and/or medications used to treat HIV.,The Veteran's conditions are not found to be directly related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected HIV.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease is granted a 100% rating effective January 30, 2017. The diabetes and bilateral eye disability are denied increased ratings. Service connection for depression, melanoma, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction is granted.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, and other related conditions are granted as secondary to service-connected diabetes.,Service connection is established for the Veteran’s diabetes-related disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for lumbar spine disorder, excessive scar tissue on the back and acquired psychiatric disorder (posttraumatic stress disorder and anxiety), diabetes mellitus, type II, right arm disorder, left arm disorder, right foot disorder, left foot disorder, and erectile dysfunction due to in-service exposure to ionizing radiation. The claims are remanded for additional development including obtaining medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing a VA medical opinion on the severity of service-connected migraine headaches and bilateral diabetic retinopathy with left eye blindness. The TDIU claim is also remanded due to its inextricability from the other claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PCOS, infertility, and hysterectomy/salpingo-oophorectomy is granted. The claims for pharyngitis/viral syndrome and diabetes are denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, finding that her current diagnosis is not related to service and concluding that the preponderance of evidence is against her assertion.

The Veteran's diabetes was treated with multiple daily insulin injections and occasional episodes of ketoacidosis, but did not meet the criteria for a 100% rating under DC 7913. The Board denied his claim as his diabetes did not result in progressive loss of weight or strength, weekly visits to a diabetic care provider, or three hospitalizations per year.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for an increased rating greater than 20 percent for diabetes mellitus disability, and denied TDIU prior to July 1, 2016.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is granted service connection and rated at 10%. The right and left great toe scars are granted a 10% rating. The Veteran's migraine headaches remain at the maximum schedular rating of 50%. Service connection for a back disability, including as secondary to service-connected disabilities, and sleep apnea are remanded.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is now rated at 40 percent, effective January 31, 2020. The Board found the previous VA examination inadequate and obtained a new one in January 2020 that confirmed the need for regulation of activities to avoid hypoglycemic reactions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus and TBI secondary to diabetes, as well as his SMC claim. The VA is instructed to obtain additional records and provide addendum opinions regarding the Veteran's conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes, left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to ambiguities in the record regarding whether the Veteran's diabetes requires regulation of activities. The case is also remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of bilateral peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his periods of active duty, ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA. The Veteran is also required to undergo an updated examination for his chondromalacia, left knee with patellar tendonitis.

The Board found clear and unmistakable error in the grant of service connection for diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction and right eye retinopathy, as there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during service. The other issues were also denied due to lack of evidence supporting service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for increased ratings and initial evaluations for type II diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction due to additional evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to obtain missing VA treatment records and physical therapy records. The issues on appeal include evaluations for peripheral neuritis of the sciatic nerve, femoral nerve, and type II diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for coronary artery disease was denied, and his claim for SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance or by reason of being housebound was also denied because the need was not due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were dismissed due to his death.