Diabetes decisions — 2022

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.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a finding that he was precluded from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to September 6, 2018.

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.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus and its secondary condition, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, was granted with effective dates of July 6, 2010, and December 22, 2015 respectively.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, finding no evidence of exposure to herbicide agents and insufficient medical opinion supporting a link between the condition and service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including bilateral hearing loss, heart disability, neurological disabilities of the upper and lower extremities, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and PTSD. Additional medical opinions are needed regarding the relationship between these conditions and service.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the award of service connection for diabetic nephropathy with hypertension, TDIU rating, and DEA benefits.,The Veteran's kidney function was noted to have decreased significantly from 2010 onwards, leading the VA examiner to conclude that his diabetic nephropathy with hypertension began around this time.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus type II, coronary artery disease (CAD), erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities due to incomplete medical opinions and potential outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine the relationship between the Veteran's claimed conditions and his military service, particularly regarding herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for continued Chapter 31 VR&E services due to the severity of his service-connected physical and mental disabilities, which rendered achievement of a vocational goal not feasible.

The Veteran's service connection claim for diabetes mellitus, type II was granted. However, his claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes began during his honorable period of active service from March 25, 1985 to November 7, 1989 and grants service connection for diabetes.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and clarification regarding service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II (DMII), rating for left 5th toe disability prior to August 28, 2020 and thereafter, and a separate rating for plantar fasciitis.

Effective April 9, 2012, the Veteran was granted TDIU for PTSD.,Effective October 12, 2020, SMC was granted due to a combined rating of 100% for service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, diabetes mellitus, type II, and congestive heart failure, all of which are related to the Veteran's exposure to toxic chemicals, specifically benzene, while stationed at Camp Pendleton during his period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, prevent him from establishing and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 60 percent for diabetes mellitus with diabetic retinopathy and ED was denied. The Board found that the Veteran's condition did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under Diagnostic Code 7913, as he did not have episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring at least three hospitalizations per year or weekly visits to a diabetic care provider. The claim for TDIU was also denied prior to March 1, 2020 and granted from that date onwards.

Service connection is granted for diabetes mellitus, type 2 and hypertension.,Service connection is also granted for right Charcot foot, right lower extremity neuropathy, left lower extremity neuropathy, right foot ulcer, right foot hallux rigidus, right upper extremity neuropathy, left upper extremity neuropathy, right knee ulcer, erectile dysfunction, and gout. These conditions are presumed to be related to service due to exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has decided that new evidence supports readjudicating the claims for DMII and ED. Service connection is granted for DMII due to herbicide exposure, but the claim for ED remains pending as it needs further examination. The case is remanded for a VA examination to determine if ED is related to service or diabetes.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and hypertension are granted as presumptively related to service exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand. The bilateral hearing loss is also granted, with the Board finding it at least as likely as not related to service. However, the Veteran's bilateral knee disability and back disability remain pending due to a need for additional medical examination.,The Veteran's bilateral knee disability and back disability are remanded for further evaluation.