Diabetes decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to errors in duty to assist. The Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents is not conceded, and a VA examination is needed to determine if his Parkinson's disease and diabetes mellitus type II are related to military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes and peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity associated with diabetes is denied as there is no evidence of exposure to Agent Orange or other presumed herbicide agents during his service. The Board finds that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam, nor was he exposed to such agents.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for cause of the Veteran's death due to conceded herbicide exposure and a contributory cause from service-connected diabetes. As this decision grants service connection, the DIC claim is dismissed as moot.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for diabetic peripheral neuropathy in both lower extremities due to a duty to assist error.

The Veteran's diabetes and diabetic neuropathy are granted as service-connected due to exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II, obstructive sleep apnea, and headaches due to inadequate opinions in previous examinations. The Veteran's service-connected residuals of spontaneous pneumothorax are not considered a substantial factor in causing these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to procedural issues and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to new questions regarding whether the Veteran's hearing loss is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board dismissed all claims due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to the Veteran's failure to report for a VA examination. The examination is needed to clarify when the Veteran was formally diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and whether his foot conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation, and hypertension have been granted. The claim for ischemic heart disease is remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on several service-connected conditions have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claims.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including bilateral knee, hip, and foot disorders, obstructive sleep apnea, asthma, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's service-connected COPD is granted, and his secondary service connection for diabetes mellitus to include as secondary to COPD is also granted.,A rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's left leg disability (residuals, fracture left proximal fibula with traumatic arthritis left ankle and degenerative arthritis, chondrocalcinosis and osteophyte of the left knee) is denied.

Service connection for diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer is granted on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure. The claims of service connection for other conditions are remanded.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is currently rated at 20 percent since July 3, 2019. Prior to that date, the rating was denied as he did not require insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents for his condition.

The Veteran's carcinoma of the larynx, heart disability (including IHD, PVD, and dyslipidemia), and diabetes mellitus type II are granted as service connected due to herbicide exposure during his service in Thailand.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disease, prostate cancer, and diabetes mellitus as secondary to herbicide exposure due to his death.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings and earlier effective dates for service-connected right and left lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy are being remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board denied service connection for ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus, type II due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active duty or exposure to herbicide agents. The Veteran's claims were not supported by credible evidence.