Diabetes decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in the rating criteria and the need for further development regarding the Veteran's diabetes mellitus prior to October 22, 2019.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding whether his sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus are secondary to his service-connected orthopedic and neurological disabilities.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to insufficient evidence showing herbicide exposure during service and no direct relationship between diabetes and service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for sleep apnea as it is unclear whether his condition is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus or due to herbicide exposure. The Board will request an opinion from a VA examiner regarding the relationship between the Veteran's sleep apnea and his diabetes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with type II diabetes mellitus and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy being granted as due to herbicide agent exposure. Service connection has also been granted for left and right lower extremity diabetic neuropathy secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremity diabetic neuropathy of the sciatic nerve was rated at 10 percent prior to April 11, 2017. The Board found that his symptoms did not meet or approximate criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a lack of compliance with previous directives, including obtaining a dose estimate from the Under Secretary for Health. The case is now referred back to the VA Under Secretary for Health and then to the VA Under Secretary for Benefits.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from securing and following substantially gainful employment during the period from January 1, 2017 through January 10, 2017.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for migraine headaches, a right ankle disability, and diabetes mellitus due to incomplete records and need for further medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for peripheral sensory neuropathy of the upper extremities and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities has been denied. The Veteran is also remanded for further consideration on his service connection claims.,His TDIU claim was also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic coronary disease and diabetes type II, do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is aggravated by his service-connected diabetes, and thus grants service connection for hypertension as secondary to diabetes.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetic neuropathy and diabetes are granted, with a rating of 20 percent for diabetes. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his alleged wartime experiences in North Korea and Vietnam. The AOJ is instructed to take appropriate steps to verify these events.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus, heart disability, kidney disease, and bilateral eye disability (claimed as glaucoma with blindness) due to lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran is entitled to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis due to his service-connected right foot osteoarthrosis, diabetes mellitus, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss since October 4, 2012.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeals for service connection on a secondary basis have been remanded due to insufficient rationale in previous VA opinions and new evidence of increased symptomatology.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral knee disability, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and left and right lower extremity neuropathy as secondary to type 2 diabetes mellitus. The decision found that the Veteran's current conditions were not related to his military service.,Service connection was also denied on the basis of secondary service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and prostate cancer, as these conditions are related to exposure to biological and chemical agents from Project 112. The claims have been remanded due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's diagnosed conditions and his conceded exposure.