Diabetes decisions — 2022

The Veteran's diabetic eye disease, including retinopathy and macular degeneration, was found to be caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II. His other eye conditions were not related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating determinations related to his left knee, left leg, left ear hearing loss, diabetes mellitus type 1, and liver disease. The claims are being returned for additional development.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to additional relevant evidence being added to the record.

The Veteran was granted SMC at the rate provided by 38 U.S.C. § 1114(r)(1) as of February 24, 2009, based on his need for regular aid and attendance due to service-connected bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for erectile dysfunction and prostate disability, and granted service connection for Type 2 diabetes mellitus as secondary to herbicide agent exposure. The TDIU claim is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and disability ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and verifying herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and hypertension due to her service-connected conditions is remanded. The Veteran also has a claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder which is also being remanded.,A temporary total disability rating based on surgical or other treatment necessitating convalescence for the period from November 24, 2014, to November 30, 2014, was denied. The Veteran's claim for this benefit is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding exposure to herbicide agents and ionizing radiation, as well as an inadequate medical opinion on whether any current liver disability is related to service. The VA will need to obtain additional treatment records, verify claimed exposures, and provide a new medical opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure in Thailand.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service in Thailand. The Veteran's current conditions are considered at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied for various conditions, including PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (including dementia), diabetes mellitus type II, prostate cancer, hypertension, a heart disorder (coronary artery disease, status post stent placement), a circulatory disorder, bilateral eye disorders (right eye blindness, double vision in the left eye, cataracts), lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, peripheral neuropathy of each extremity, radiculopathy of each extremity, and myelomalacia. The Board found that there was no evidence to support these claims.,The Veteran's service connection claims were denied for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (including dementia), diabetes mellitus type II, prostate cancer, hypertension, a heart disorder (coronary artery disease, status post stent placement), a circulatory disorder, bilateral eye disorders (right eye blindness, double vision in the left eye, cataracts), lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, peripheral neuropathy of each extremity, radiculopathy of each extremity, and myelomalacia.

The Veteran's mood disorder is caused by his service-connected disabilities.,There is approximately an even balance of evidence as to whether the Veteran's bilateral blepharitis, combined senile cataracts, and pinguecula are caused by his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus.,With reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran, there is approximately an even balance of evidence as to whether his benign prostate hypertrophy is caused by his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus. His diabetic neurogenic bladder is caused by his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus.,The Veteran's diabetic neurogenic bladder is caused by his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for a higher rating for diabetic nephropathy, special monthly compensation (SMC) at the housebound rate, and service connection for gout and folliculitis. The Board has granted a higher rating for diabetic nephropathy but remanded the issues of service connection for gout and folliculitis due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to new theories of entitlement and newly submitted evidence, requiring further development to determine if the Veteran's diabetes mellitus is secondary to his service-connected depressive disorder with insomnia or sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and right hip disability to obtain additional medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability is presumed to be related to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and erectile dysfunction as secondary to diabetes mellitus due to potential exposure at Guantanamo Bay during a training exercise.

The Veteran's claim for COPD and restrictive lung disease is being remanded due to incomplete development. The issue of service connection for chronic cough will also be remanded as the VA medical records related to this condition are not in the claims file.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is denied as there is no evidence of an in-service event, injury or disease and the weight of the evidence is against a finding that his current condition is related to service.,The Veteran's low back condition, heart condition, diabetes mellitus, bilateral lower extremity diabetic neuropathy, and acquired psychiatric disorder (major depressive disorder) are remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is rated at 20 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating.,The Veteran's diabetic sensory peripheral neuropathy (PN) of the lower extremities is currently rated at 40 percent each for the right and left legs. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating due to lack of marked muscular atrophy.

The Board denied service connection for prostate disability, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension as there was no evidence of a nexus to service or within the first post-service year.