Diabetes decisions — 2022

The Veteran's diabetes is related to exposure during service, specifically at Fort McClellan. The VA has not conducted the necessary development regarding this exposure and a remand is required for further investigation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus as there was no evidence of herbicide exposure in Vietnam and no competent medical evidence linking his current diagnosis to service.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities for the entire appeal period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction, peripheral vascular disease, and bilateral hearing loss, rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment from October 16, 2009, through April 5, 2016. The Board granted a TDIU during this period.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, type II, hypertension, kidney condition, headache disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), and sleep apnea due to exposure to herbicide agents during service. Further development is needed to verify if herbicide agents were used at Davisville Naval Construction Battalion Center while the Veteran was stationed there from February 1969 to December 1969.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for diabetic ketoacidosis was denied as the evidence did not show that he required at least three hospitalizations per year or weekly visits to a diabetic care provider, which is necessary for a higher disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for residuals of fracture of left leg, claimed as left leg fracture is denied due to lack of current residuals.,The Veteran's COPD is not etiologically related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination regarding the etiology of the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II and its relation to service, particularly his hypertension.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to intertwining issues and insufficient medical opinions. The heart disability claim is now recharacterized as a heart condition, and additional development is needed regarding secondary service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including lung disability, CAD, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, and OSA, due to exposure during service. The Veteran's MOS was as an engineering equipment repairman and he served near Camp Carroll in the Republic of Korea.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicide agents during the Vietnam Era.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and bilateral lower extremity diabetic neuropathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes. The decision is based on the presumption of herbicide agent exposure in Thailand.

The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his exposure to herbicides in Vietnam and his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II contributed substantially to his pancreatic cancer and subsequent death.

The Veteran's appeal of high cholesterol (claimed as hyperlipidemia) has been withdrawn.,The effective date for the grant of service connection for GERD is denied, as it cannot be earlier than March 11, 2015.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus is denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to in-service exposure or within one year post-separation from service.,CAD and respiratory conditions are remanded for further examination and opinion regarding their relationship to service.,A neck disability and acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as secondary to GERD and right foot disability) are also remanded for further examination and opinion.,Polysubstance abuse is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding its relationship to GERD, right foot disability, or CAD.,ED is remanded for a new VA examination to determine the current severity of the condition.

The Board denied reopening the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II and hypertension are granted as secondary to service-connected conditions. Service connection for fibromyalgia is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, erectile dysfunction as secondary to DM, right shoulder disability, left elbow disability, and right knee disability. The reasons given were lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for various disability ratings and service connection claims have been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus, type II, ischemic heart disease and coronary artery disease, as well as prostate cancer, are granted due to exposure to herbicide agents during his active duty in Thailand.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetic retinopathy, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, left hip condition, and right hip condition due to service-connected frostbite. The issues are being remanded for further development including obtaining medical records and arranging a VA examination.