Diabetes decisions — 2021

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, finding that it is proximately due to obesity caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected depression.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development regarding his service connection claims for PTSD, diabetes mellitus type II, and diabetic retinopathy.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, Type-II is currently rated at 20 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disability, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and prostate disability due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's peripheral neuritis of the sciatic nerve in both lower extremities and femoral nerve in the left lower extremity have been rated at 40 percent since July 30, 2015. The appeals for higher evaluations are denied.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus type II due to a lack of an opinion from an environmental toxicologist regarding exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability and denied service connection for liver disability (including hepatitis C), diabetes mellitus, type II, and pancreatitis. The back disability is related to an in-service injury, while the liver disability, including hepatitis C, was not related to service. Diabetes mellitus, type II, and pancreatitis are also not related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives and a need for an additional opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hypertension and presumed herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities have been dismissed as his appeal has been withdrawn from the legacy appeals system due to his opt-in into the Appeals Modernization Act.

Service connection for PTSD has been granted with a rating of 70 percent, effective from February 5, 2021.,Service connection for various conditions including heart condition, left foot condition, right and left wrist conditions, migraines, and depression have also been granted.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence in the original decision. The Court found that the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, his hypertension was not related to herbicide exposure or secondary to PTSD, and his sleep apnea may be related to PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is denied as there is no evidence of chronic hypertension in service or within the applicable presumptive period.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is also denied. The Board finds that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and thus cannot establish herbicide exposure. Additionally, secondary service connection to a service-connected condition (hypertension) is not granted as there is no evidence of hypertension in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claim for type 2 diabetes is granted due to exposure to herbicide agents during his active duty at Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base, which qualifies as presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for financial assistance for automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment, as they do not result in loss of use of a hand or foot, ankylosis of a hip or knee, or central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's diverticulosis is caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus and hypertension.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for cervical spine disability is granted. The claim for TDIU due to diabetes mellitus and associated peripheral neuropathy is granted from December 30, 2002 through the present. SMC based on permanent housebound status is granted effective December 30, 2003.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of evidence showing in-service exposure to herbicides, and for further development regarding his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's service connection claims for Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Ischemic Heart Disease, Peripheral Neuropathy of the Bilateral Lower Extremities, and Bilateral Hearing Loss have all been granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Thailand.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II has been granted. The claims for service connection for testicular cancer and peripheral neuropathy of the hands and feet have been remanded.

The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected PTSD, effective July 19, 2010.