Diabetes decisions — 2023

The Board has granted service connection for fatty liver disease as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type 2 and ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings have been withdrawn. The Board has also remanded the cases for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran served in Vietnam, which is necessary for service connection. Additional records and verification are needed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including peripheral neuropathy, heart disability, stroke, and diabetes mellitus. The claims are being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding herbicide exposure and noise exposure during service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and dermatitis are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records.,Service connection claims for gastritis, lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus type II, and prostate disorder remain unresolved.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and prostate cancer related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents are granted. The PACT Act presumption of herbicide agent exposure applies due to the Veteran's service at Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused his obesity, which in turn caused his sleep apnea. The claim is also being remanded for further VA medical opinions on the aggravation of sleep apnea by PTSD and diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's death was caused by congestive heart failure, which is listed as a 'sequel to Agent Orange' on his death certificate. The Board has ordered further development including obtaining medical records and an addendum opinion from the VA examiner who previously reviewed the case.

The Veteran's claims for cervical spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities have been denied. Additionally, his facial scars prior to April 15, 2022, tinnitus, and headaches have also been denied.

The Board denied service connection for a thyroid disability and diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no evidence of chronic conditions related to service or service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's assertions regarding exposure to asbestos or mercury were not supported by the available records.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, an eye condition (including bilateral glaucoma and ocular hypertension), bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and metabolic syndrome. The decision also denied service connection for metabolic syndrome due to pyramiding.

The Board has remanded multiple issues for further development, including service connection claims for various conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea, heart disease, and foot disabilities. The Veteran's STRs are unavailable, which may affect the adjudication of these claims.

The Board denied service connection for body cramps, diabetes mellitus, and Parkinson's disease due to lack of current diagnoses in the Veteran's VA medical records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes is being remanded as there is insufficient evidence to determine the etiology of his condition. A VA examination is needed to provide an opinion on whether his current diabetes is related to his military service, including exposure to jet fuel.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, Type II diabetes mellitus (claimed as due to herbicide exposure), and a kidney disability (including tumor) due to potential errors in the audiometric evaluations and service connection determinations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as stress attacks), hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, type II. The Board found that there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to chemical exposure, as there are insufficient medical opinions provided. The claims will be reviewed with new medical opinions considering the Veteran's exposure to sarin and cyclosarin gas.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is presumed to have been incurred during his active service in the Republic of Vietnam, and hypertension is presumed due to herbicide exposure. The kidney disability claim remains pending as it involves a secondary relationship.,Hypertension was granted based on the PACT Act, effective August 10, 2022. The Veteran's stomach problems are being remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, as new evidence suggests a possible link between the condition and the Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea. The effective dates for right hip replacement and left hip replacement remain denied.

The Veteran's claim for residuals of dengue fever, a lumbar spine disability, diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, and TDIU prior to September 29, 2008 have all been denied.,The Board found that there was no current evidence of residuals from dengue fever or any other service-connected condition. The Veteran's low back disability was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period.