Diabetes decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and heart condition as secondary to service-connected acquired psychiatric disability. The claims for vertigo and vision disability are also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in a need of regular aid and attendance, which the Board finds warrants special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that the Veteran's exposure to herbicides during his service in Thailand warrants this presumption. The cause of death is also recognized as being related to diabetes mellitus.,Compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 was denied due to the Veteran not meeting the criteria for receiving such benefits.

The Board has remanded the cases of sleep apnea, right knee disability, and diabetes for further development due to inadequate opinions from VA examiners.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete development regarding the Veteran's exposure to DDT and herbicides in service, which is necessary for a proper determination of service connection.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus, type II (diabetes) is remanded due to the need for additional development and clarification regarding the regulation of activities due to his service-connected diabetes.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no evidence of exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Korea and thus denying presumptive service connection. The Board also found insufficient evidence linking the Veteran's current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus to his military service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for diabetes mellitus, type II, to include as due to exposure to herbicide agents is granted based on the presumption of exposure during his service in Korea.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations. The issues include cardiac disability, bilateral hearing loss, neurological disabilities of both upper extremities, right knee disability, PTSD, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), sleep apnea, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's hypertension, left and right upper extremity peripheral neuropathies, and diabetes have been granted service connection. The Veteran has also received increased ratings for his upper extremities' peripheral neuropathies and a higher rating for his diabetes.

The Veteran's DM with DR, hypertension, and ED is not rated higher than the current 20 percent rating.,Nephropathy has been denied for ratings in excess of noncompensable prior to January 27, 2015, and in excess of 30 percent thereafter.,PN in RUE, LUE, RLE, and LLE is not rated higher than the current 40 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render her in need of regular aid and attendance, which is required to protect her from hazards or dangers incident to her daily environment. As a result, the Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II as there is no evidence of its onset during active military service or within one year after discharge, and the Veteran's current diagnosis predates his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's diabetes mellitus was a principal or contributory cause of death. The claim is being returned for further development and adjudication.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a right knee disorder, diabetes mellitus (DM), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support the appeals.,A separate claim for depression was also raised but not addressed in this decision.

The Board has remanded the claim for further development due to inconsistencies in previous medical opinions and the need to consider all evidence of record, including medical literature cited by the appellant's representative.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient service records and VA treatment records, which may affect the determination of the cause of death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, pancreatic cancer and diabetes mellitus type II, was not caused or contributed to by his military service. The evidence does not support a finding of herbicide exposure in Thailand during the Vietnam Era.