Diabetes decisions — 2022

The appeal on the issue of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is dismissed.,The appeal on the issue of service connection for a bilateral kidney disability, to include as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, thyroid condition, diabetes mellitus, and neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities due to in-service herbicide exposure. The AOJ is instructed to verify whether the planes that operated on the USS Coral Sea landed in or near Vietnam.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions. The AOJ will seek SSA records, arrange for a VA examination, and consider new evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus, type II, as these conditions are presumed to be related to the Veteran's in-service exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has granted a TDIU rating since July 10, 2009, based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities including PTSD and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and coronary artery disease as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to incomplete development and need for additional opinions. The main issues are related to eye disabilities, diabetes, hypertension, knee disabilities, and a neck disability.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and ischemic heart disease due to herbicide exposure, as well as peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower and upper extremities and left eye retinopathy. The Board found no evidence of herbicide agent exposure in Thailand and thus could not establish presumptive service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicides at Howard Air Base in Panama, which is necessary for service connection of diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's eye disability, including diabetic retinopathy, bilateral cataracts, pseudophakia, and dry eye syndrome are found to be proximately due to his service-connected diabetes. His obstructive sleep apnea is also found to be secondary to his service-connected diabetes.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are currently rated at 50% effective February 13, 2002. The Veteran's bilateral diabetic retinopathy with blindness in the left eye is currently rated at 30%. A separate 10% rating for bullous keratopathy has been granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus type II, and bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy. The decision found that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claim of service connection for hypertension. It also concluded that there is no current diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus type II and denied service connection on a presumptive basis as well as secondary to another condition. Service connection was denied for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to lack of in-service onset or causal connection.

The petition to reopen the claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied. The petition to reopen the claim of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was granted, but the petition to reopen the claim of service connection for a cardiac disability was denied.

The Board has granted the reopening of the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and has determined that the Veteran's PTSD contributed to his smoking, which in turn caused his acute respiratory failure, pneumonia, metastatic lung cancer, and diabetes mellitus. The Board found that these conditions were related to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed to his death due to weight problems and diabetes, which were caused by the PTSD.

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and remanded the issues of service connection for a condition of the bilateral hands, back disability, bilateral lower extremities (knees and feet), and left ankle condition. The claims are now pending again for further development.

The Board has remanded the cases for obtaining VA treatment records from Dekalb County VA Clinic.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II and related conditions are being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his disability.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, erectile dysfunction as secondary to diabetes mellitus, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to diabetes mellitus. The decision is based on the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Thailand.