Diabetes decisions — 2022

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer and depressive disorder, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) since August 1, 2015.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents. The claims of service connection for left upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus type II, and peripheral neuropathies, have rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment for the entire rating period. Additionally, he has been in need of regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for depression, diabetes, and carotid artery stenosis were denied as the evidence did not support a causal relationship to his active duty service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the previously denied service connection claims for prostate cancer and urinary incontinence as due to herbicide exposure was denied. The claim of service connection for hypertension is also denied.,Entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus, which had been previously denied, was dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus was reopened due to new and material evidence. The Board found that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents at Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base, which is presumed to cause type 2 diabetes. Therefore, service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus is granted.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for diabetic neuropathy were dismissed due to his death.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other factors linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, and PTSD due to Agent Orange exposure. The Veteran's service in Vietnam is not confirmed, and further verification is required.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated as 70 percent disabling. The Board denied a higher rating, concluding that the symptoms did not cause total occupational and social impairment required for a disability rating of 100 percent. The TDIU claim was also denied due to the Veteran's ability to engage in various productive activities despite his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides and the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and private medical records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability has been reopened, but the Board finds that new and material evidence does not establish an in-service injury or disease. The current knee condition is also not related to service.,Service connection for a bilateral knee disability cannot be established as there is no credible evidence of an in-service injury or event leading to current symptoms.,The Veteran's claim for high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and heart disease are remanded due to the need to determine if he served within 12 nautical miles from Vietnam shores during his service aboard USS Okinawa. The claims for sleep apnea and an acquired psychiatric disorder (likely depression) also require additional development.,Service connection for a respiratory disorder is remanded as the Veteran needs to confirm his report of exposure to burning feces in service.,The Veteran's bilateral foot disability claim requires further examination to determine if it is related to service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and opinion regarding service connection for bilateral pes planus, diabetes mellitus type II, and an acquired psychiatric disability (for treatment purposes).

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and was not exposed to herbicide agents during his military service. The claim is based on direct service connection rather than presumptive exposure.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease, status post stent, as well as his claim for TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran's heart disability, hypertension, diabetes, varicose veins of the bilateral lower extremities, and deep venous thrombosis are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus and amputation of three toes due to potential issues with the legal standard used in the previous medical opinion. The Veteran's claim is related as they are both secondary to his service-connected hypertension.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied claim for service connection for Parkinson's disease, now characterized as essential tremor. Effective dates have been set for various claims and ratings related to diabetes mellitus, type 2, hypertension, gout, and diabetic nephropathy.