Diabetes decisions — 2022

The Veteran was granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis from October 31, 2014, to November 23, 2016, due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Parkinson's disease, diabetes mellitus, type II, and glaucoma: simple, primary, and noncongestive. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection of cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and kidney disease/stones secondary to diabetes mellitus. The Board dismissed the appeals as a result.

The Veteran's service connection claim for diabetes mellitus, type II is granted as it is presumed due to military environmental exposure to Agent Orange during his service at Korat RTAFB.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating on lumbar spine degenerative arthritis is dismissed. The claim for hypertension remains denied. Service connection for diabetes mellitus has been granted based on new and material evidence. Chronic constipation secondary to service-connected hypertension is now service connected. Claims for chronic fatigue syndrome, IBS, fibromyalgia, and MUCMI are all denied.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction are granted service connection due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his military service.,Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) for loss of use of a creative organ is granted based on the Veteran's diagnosed erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's treatment at Fort Sanders Loudoun Medical Center on September 4, 2016 was for a condition of such severity that immediate medical attention was necessary to avoid serious health risks. The closest VA facilities were not feasibly available and an attempt to use them beforehand would have been impractical.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient opinions in previous examinations. The Veteran's service connection claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities (claimed as sciatic nerve condition), diabetic retinopathy, and erectile dysfunction secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee condition. The decision is based on evidence showing that obesity, a result of the service-connected left knee condition, contributed to the development of diabetes mellitus type II, which in turn caused or aggravated the other conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for impaired fasting glucose, claimed as diabetes mellitus type II, due to exposure to herbicides. The evidence does not support a current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus type II or any related disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities due to exposure to Agent Orange are all granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, and additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone require the need for aid and attendance.

The Veteran is not entitled to SMC at a rate intermediate between SMC(l) and SMC(m) (SMC(p)) because he does not have an additional disability rated as 50 or 100 percent disabling.,The Veteran's claim for higher level of SMC, claimed as entitlement to SMC(t), is denied due to the lack of evidence showing that he requires a 'higher level of care' than what is required for regular aid and attendance.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's service connection claims for peripheral vascular disease, diabetes mellitus type II, a heart condition, a back condition, obstructive sleep apnea, headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to outstanding VA treatment records and unverified stressors.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to secondary disabilities, including fatigue, stress, depression, weight gain, and other conditions related to hearing loss. The issues are being reviewed again as part of a broader examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied.,A separate disability rating of 10 percent, but no higher, has been granted for right lower extremity femoral nerve peripheral neuropathy prior to June 29, 2021.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD has been dismissed. Service connection for a right leg scar (claimed as right calf injury) is granted. The issues of service connection for OSA, atrial flutter/atrial fibrillation, and diabetes mellitus are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for heart disability, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and genitourinary disability due to incomplete records and further development is required.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for hemorrhoids is denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II (DM), and heart disability are remanded due to lack of evidence regarding herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is also remanded as it is intertwined with the DM and heart disability issues.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development and opinion regarding diabetes mellitus, hypertension, back disorder, neck disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and left shoulder disorder. Service connection is denied for an acquired psychiatric disorder.