Diabetes decisions — 2022

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death is due to a service-connected disability, but needs further medical opinion to determine if his heart disease, diabetes mellitus, lung cancer and other conditions contributed to his death.

The Veteran's death was caused by bladder cancer, which is a presumptive disease due to radiation exposure during service in Okinawa. The issues of lung cancer, missing 5th rib, fungal infection, PTSD, diabetes, neuropathy of bilateral upper and lower extremities are remanded for further review.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an opinion on the etiology of diabetes mellitus. The decision regarding service connection for benign prostate hyperplasia is denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus type II and ischemic heart disease are granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents such as Agent Orange. The claim for a psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus. The claims for service connection for cirrhosis and hepatitis, as well as DIC, are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding their relationship to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and hyperthyroidism are remanded due to the submission of new evidence that may support these claims. The Board finds that a VA examination is needed to assess the nature and etiology of the conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type 2, neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction are all granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service at or near the Korean DMZ.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and residuals of a left eye injury require further development due to missing VA treatment records.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity sciatic nerve peripheral neuropathy and erectile dysfunction are granted at a 40 percent rating, effective from the date of the decision. Diabetes mellitus type II is also granted at a 40 percent rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from April 30, 2009 to August 9, 2009.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and kidney disabilities. The claims are remanded due to the need for further development including VA examinations.

The Veteran's lumbar spine condition is rated at 40 percent, and his left and right lower extremity radiculopathy are each rated at 20 percent. The Veteran also received a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, and left and right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy have been granted. The claim for right hand arthritis is remanded due to insufficient evidence addressing secondary service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and the cause of death are granted. The kidney disability claim is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's conditions are presumed related to his in-service exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or maintain a substantially gainful occupation since March 31, 2011. Therefore, entitlement to a TDIU on an extraschedular basis is granted.

The Veteran's appeal of service connection claims for diabetes mellitus type II, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), cirrhosis of the liver, and hypertension has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus type II due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations. The Veteran's representative argued that these conditions are secondary to his service-connected PTSD, obesity caused by those disabilities, and/or an intermediary step of obesity.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and heart disability (including ischemic heart disease and coronary artery disease with bypass surgery) are granted as presumptively related to herbicide exposure during service in Thailand. Bilateral hearing loss, aortic valve stenosis, arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation, palpitations, murmur, hypertension, actinic keratosis, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma are presumed due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including diabetes mellitus, neuritis, kidney disorder (claimed as diabetic nephropathy), and diabetic retinopathy. Additional development is required for these claims.