Diabetes decisions — 2021

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board finds that his TDIU claim has not met the schedular requirements for a TDIU rating.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his death to his military service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD has been reopened and is granted. Service connection for diabetes mellitus, left foot numbness, right foot numbness, chronic fatigue, back disability, rheumatoid arthritis, and skin lesions remains denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete evidentiary development regarding Operation Red Hat and herbicide exposure claims. The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus will be reconsidered.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for DM, polymyalgia, and sleep apnea must be denied as there is no evidence of in-service disease or injury. The claims for left hip disability and right hip disability are remanded due to a lack of medical evidence showing current disabilities during the appeal period. The claim for service connection for left shoulder rotator cuff tear is also remanded.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of a TDIU prior to October 27, 2020, finding that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment before this date.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding his in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The Board will attempt to verify whether the planes that operated on the USS Coral Sea landed in or near Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's erectile dysfunction and his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The Veteran is also required to undergo a VA examination for male reproductive conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, type II. Service connection is also remanded for hypertension.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. The issue of entitlement to higher ratings for diabetes mellitus type II remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error in obtaining an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or aggravated his obesity, which is necessary for determining if he can establish secondary service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has granted service connection for residual scarring following shrapnel removal, but denied service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity diabetic neuropathy.

The Veteran's appeals for breathing condition and diabetes have been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's type 2 diabetes and kidney disease are presumed due to herbicide exposure. The Board has determined that hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left foot/ankle disorder, and right foot/ankle disorder may be related to service but requires additional medical evidence for a determination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence of herbicide agent exposure and noting that the long period without problems after service weighs against a finding of service incurrence. The Veteran's statements relating his condition to service were not credible.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and prostate cancer, both secondary to exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the case for a retrospective medical opinion to assess whether the Veteran required regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities other than loss of use of both feet, specifically lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, lymphoma, diabetes, retinopathy, hearing loss, and tinea cruris.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, diabetes mellitus, diabetic nephropathy, and coronary artery disease due to insufficient information in the service treatment records regarding these conditions.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted based on the current evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, diabetic nephropathy, and hypertension due to a lack of proper translation of records and need for further examination.