Diabetes decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claims for ischemic heart disease, pulmonary congestion, skin cancer, and cause of death due to service connection purposes. The issues are related to exposure at Camp Lejeune. Additional medical opinions are needed regarding these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus and a rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension due to insufficient medical opinions regarding causation, aggravation, and obesity.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for sleep apnea due to incomplete development and need for a medical opinion addressing the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, and his sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type 2 with erectile dysfunction and associated neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities are being remanded for further evaluation due to conflicting medical evidence regarding his need for regulation of activities and potential additional complications.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus are found to be the primary causes of his diabetic nephropathy.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, is also found to be secondary to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to missing VA treatment records and inextricably intertwined with service connection claims. The RO is required to obtain all outstanding records, including from VAMC in Brooklyn, NY.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Sarasota Memorial Hospital and North Port Emergency Care Center on October 14, 2016 is granted. The treatment was provided in a hospital emergency department due to severe lower extremity pain and swelling related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasoning in its decision and the need for a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's alcohol use disorder and service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, colon cancer, and coronary artery disease as these conditions are not etiologically related to active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied as he is already assigned the maximum schedular rating available. The cases for service connection for painful knees, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II, and phlebitis are all remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II with associated peripheral neuropathy, finding no evidence of herbicide agent exposure during service and insufficient evidence to establish a direct relationship between his conditions and service.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, a cardiac disability, and peripheral artery disease due to their secondary nature to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is remanded due to a development error regarding his alleged exposure to Agent Orange and service in the Korean DMZ. Further verification of these claims is needed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations, treatment records, and verification of his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetic nephropathy, PTSD, diabetes mellitus with retinopathy, cervical sprain, tinnitus, right and left knee degenerative joint disease, pes planus, and left eardrum surgery residuals, preclude him from engaging in gainful employment consistent with his education and experience. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the combined rating of 90 percent.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's lumbar sprain with degenerative disc disease prior to June 24, 2019, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter remains remanded for additional development.,The Veteran's sleep apnea is remanded for addendum opinions regarding its etiology.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is remanded for addendum opinions regarding its etiology.,The Veteran's neuropathy of the left upper extremity, right upper extremity, and right lower extremity are remanded for addendum opinions regarding their etiology.,The Veteran's neuropathy of the left lower extremity is remanded for addendum opinions regarding its etiology.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, heart condition, type II diabetes mellitus, chronic fatigue syndrome and sleep apnea as the evidence did not show these conditions were related to service or any presumptive exposure.,There is no credible evidence showing that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his active duty service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, requiring an addendum opinion on whether the Veteran's left below knee amputation was at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his undiagnosed manifestations of diabetes (or 'pre-diabetes') at the time of the left below knee amputation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to errors in the duty to assist and insufficient evidence for adjudication.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease/ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus were denied because the new evidence submitted did not show a nexus between his conditions and service, specifically due to the lack of herbicide exposure in Okinawa.