Diabetes decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension, sleep apnea, an acquired psychiatric disorder (likely PTSD), a right foot disability, coronary artery disease, and diabetes mellitus type II due to incomplete development. The RO must complete the directives set forth in the July 2022 Board remand.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist in determining if the Veteran's current conditions are related to his reported exposure to commercial herbicides during service.

The Board has ordered another remand for the Veteran's claims of service connection for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and tremors due to exposure at Fort McClellan. The examiner is instructed to provide an opinion on whether these conditions are related to his exposure.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and hypertension. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is not shown to be related to her active service, while her neuropathy is linked to her diabetes.,Service connection was also denied for hepatitis C, pancreatitis, eye disability, and TDIU.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's appeal for diabetes mellitus and heart disability due to in-service high cholesterol, as there are unresolved issues regarding the onset of these conditions during service.

The Board has granted an effective date of November 18, 2010 for the award of separate 10 percent ratings for diabetic polyneuropathy of the right and left lower extremities associated with diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities for further development, including obtaining an examination and medical opinion regarding the Veteran's ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and bilateral upper and lower extremities peripheral neuropathy as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II. The Veteran's current disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by his active service.,Service connection was also denied for a cervical spine disability due to lack of continuity of symptomatology since service separation.

The Board dismissed the appeals as to the ratings for diabetes mellitus with retinopathy, right foot peripheral neuropathy, and left foot peripheral neuropathy due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus requires only restricted diet, one or more daily injections of insulin, and an oral glycemic agent. The Veteran's PTSD is rated higher than 50 percent prior to September 28, 2021, and higher than 70 percent thereafter. TDIU is also remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea and whether it is related to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for Diabetes Mellitus, Type II as secondary to his service-connected disabilities (hypertension and coronary artery disease).

The Board has granted service connection for pancreatic cancer due to the PACT Act, but remanded the issues of service connection for pancreatitis (secondary to GERD), left foot fungus (due to Gulf War environmental hazards), and diabetes mellitus type II (secondary to GERD).

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is related to his presumed in-service exposure to herbicide agents while on active duty in the territorial waters of Guam. The Board finds that the Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to herbicide agents during his service and grants service connection for diabetes mellitus as presumptively related to herbicide agent exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connection is established due to in-service noise exposure.,Prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type 2, and decreased vision in the left eye are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated as 100 percent disabling, and he has a combined service-connected rating of at least 60 percent for other disabilities. The Board granted an initial 100 percent schedular rating for PTSD and special monthly compensation at the housebound rate from November 2, 2016, to December 21, 2020.

The Veteran's kidney disorder, diabetic nephropathy, is granted as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus Type II. The claims for left hip flexor strain and left knee with synovitis are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's obesity and her claimed disabilities.

The Veteran was granted TDIU effective January 1, 2011. The effective date for the grant of basic eligibility to DEA benefits under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 is also set at January 1, 2011.,The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment from January 1, 2011.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and transient ischemic attack (TIA) due to inadequate medical opinions in December 2020. The VA needs to obtain new retrospective medical opinions addressing the severity of these conditions from December 2014 to March 2016.