Diabetes decisions — 2022

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II on a presumptive basis due to herbicide agent exposure in Thailand. The issues of service connection for peripheral neuropathy, left and right lower extremities are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for multiple conditions, including cell lymphocyte deficiency, hypogammaglobulinemia, premature ovarian failure, asymmetrical sensorineural hearing loss, peripheral neuropathy, thyroid dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, fibromyalgia, chronic laryngitis, muscle weakness, hypertension, cholecystitis, and basal cell carcinoma, all of which are related to the Veteran's in-service exposure to ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, methanol, and phenol.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and polyneuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities (secondary to service-connected type 2 diabetes). Service connection for memory loss and syncope is denied.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer as a result of herbicide exposure due to the lack of evidence supporting in-service exposure.,Both conditions were found not related to service, with no presumption of exposure applied.

The Veteran's death was not due to a service-connected disability, as there is no evidence of herbicide exposure during his service in Korea. The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death.

The Veteran's tinnitus disability is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for endometriosis with abnormal menstrual cycle, claimed as dysfunctional bleeding, is granted. The Veteran has a current diagnosis and the evidence supports her contention that this condition began during her military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that his current condition is related to non-service-connected degenerative disc disease/degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine and diabetic neuropathy.

The Board denied service connection for adenocarcinoma of the rectum and a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus type 2.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus should be remanded due to incomplete examination and undelivered correspondence.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of diabetes mellitus, type II due to insufficient efforts in obtaining records from Dr. Conti and Southside FP.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is remanded for extraschedular consideration.,The Veteran's claims for bilateral chronic open angle glaucoma with bilateral nodular scleritis, MDD, depression (claimed as insomnia), bronchitis, migraines, cervical and lumbar back conditions, uterine fibroids, hysterectomy, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, right ankle condition, and DM are remanded for additional development.,The Veteran's claims for MDD, depression (claimed as insomnia), migraines, cervical and lumbar back conditions, uterine fibroids, hysterectomy, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, right ankle condition, and DM are remanded for VA examinations to determine their etiology.,The Veteran's bronchitis claim is remanded for additional development.,The Veteran's migraines claim is remanded for a VA examination to determine its nature and etiology.,The Veteran's cervical and lumbar back conditions claims are remanded for a VA examination to determine their nature and etiology.,The Veteran's uterine fibroids, hysterectomy, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, right ankle condition, and DM claims are remanded for VA examinations to determine their nature and etiology.,The Veteran's right ankle condition claim is remanded for a VA examination to determine its nature and etiology.,The Veteran's DM claim is remanded for additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral arterial disease as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and his cause of death.

The Board has remanded several service connection and increased rating claims, including those for a back disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, right knee disability, diverticulitis, psychiatric disability, and diabetes mellitus. The effective dates for the grant of service connection are not addressed in this decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's in-service exposure to Tritium and its relation to his diabetes.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II as there was no in-service injury or disease, and the evidence did not establish a nexus to military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and his diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea, as well as the potential role of obesity in causing or aggravating OSA.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus type II, finding that there is no evidence of a direct link to his active service or secondary to his service-connected specified trauma and stressor related disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for Lewy body dementia, which is presumed due to the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his military service.,Service connection was also granted for bilateral vision loss (diabetic retinopathy) and bilateral cataracts. The claim for glaucoma was denied as there is no evidence of its onset in service or a link to diabetes mellitus, type II.,The Veteran's tinnitus claim remains pending due to the lack of prior communication indicating intent to file such a claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his claimed disabilities, including type II diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, hypothyroidism, myocardial infarction residuals, hypertension, hemorrhoids, and gastrointestinal disorder. The remand requires further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations.