Diabetes decisions — 2022

The Veteran's service connection claims for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, type II, and hypertension are granted. The Board finds a remand is necessary to determine the cause or aggravation of his bilateral lower extremity disability.

The Board has remanded the issues of the propriety of reduction in ratings for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, effective July 1, 2020.

The appeal of the July 2021 rating decision, which proposed to award service connection for multiple disabilities according to the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES), is dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease, both presumed to be due to herbicide exposure. The issues of increased ratings for lumbar spine disability and right lower extremity sensory loss are remanded.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is granted effective May 13, 2018. The July 29, 2013 rating decision on service connection for diabetes due to herbicide exposure is denied on the basis of CUE.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for diabetes mellitus, type II was dismissed as the appellant withdrew her appeal.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, Type II. The case is remanded for a new VA examination to determine if his bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's cause of death, including acute renal failure and diabetes mellitus, is related to his service. The VA needs to obtain additional medical opinions and review records.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is granted as service-connected due to herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities are granted as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is denied, but he has a current diagnosis of tinnitus that is related to active service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for diabetes mellitus type II from January 10, 2012 was denied as the disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequate examination and lay statements regarding his symptoms.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus as the evidence did not support a finding that it began during active service or was related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, left and right sciatic peripheral neuropathy are rated at 40 percent for the period from December 10, 2019, and thereafter. The Veteran also receives a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and related peripheral neuropathy due to insufficient evidence regarding herbicide agent exposure at Fort McClellan. The Veteran's representative provided additional information about potential chemical exposures during service, but a new medical opinion is needed to determine if these exposures are linked to her diabetes.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and headaches on the basis that these conditions are proximately due to or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected kidney cancer and major depressive disorder, respectively.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus due to an incomplete medical opinion regarding whether obesity, a non-ratable disability, is aggravated by service-connected disabilities and causes or aggravates diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes, diabetic nephropathy, and neuropathy of all four extremities, as well as other conditions like vocal cord cancer residuals and coronary artery disease, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU from December 1, 2014, to May 29, 2020, July 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal for service connection for short-term memory loss, right hip disability, left hip disability, and left knee disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence. The appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and diabetes mellitus, type II are also remanded as VA examinations are needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and treatment records, requiring further development including obtaining private medical records from Dr. Z.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus II, and right hip strain as not related to service or secondary to a service-connected condition.