Diabetes decisions — 2023

The Veteran's service connection for diabetes mellitus is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his service at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base in 1970.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and bilateral peripheral neuropathy as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to his military service.

The Board has denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, respiratory disability, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiological disability (coronary artery disease), kidney disability (chronic kidney disease), bilateral eye disability, and stomach disability (GERD). The claims are being remanded to verify the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents at Fort Polk.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes, sleep apnea, bilateral upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, and seizures. The claims are being remanded to obtain further medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for diabetes mellitus and prostate condition to include as due to herbicide exposure has been granted.,The Veteran's claim for a skin condition to include basal cell carcinoma was not reopened.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus on a presumptive basis due to the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand. The issues of left foot, right foot, left hand, and right hand muscle weakness and numbness are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment prior to April 1, 2019.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes, coronary artery disease (CAD), left upper extremity neuropathy, bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) due to potential outstanding SSA records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable as of October 30, 2013. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective from that date.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, emphysema, arteriosclerotic heart disease, atrial fibrillation, PVD, and diabetes mellitus as there was no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, type II; right lung pulmonary fibrosis; restrictive lung diseases; skin cancer of the entire body; enlarged prostate with elevated PSAs; heart disability; erectile dysfunction; stroke; hypertension; left lower extremity peripheral vascular disease; right lower extremity peripheral vascular disease; left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy; right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy; left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy; right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy; sleep apnea; and loss of use of the right arm and hand due to lack of evidence regarding herbicide exposure in Korea prior to September 1, 1967.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus, hernia, and sinus disorder have been reopened. Service connection is granted for major depressive disorder.,Secondary service connection is also granted for obstructive sleep apnea due to the Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's hypertension is related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents. Service connection for the Veteran's hypertension is granted. The cases of diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease are remanded due to new evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected mental disability and diabetes mellitus are being remanded due to the failure to report for scheduled VA examinations. The Board will schedule new examinations to determine the current manifestations and functional impairment caused by these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, type II diabetes mellitus, and neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to military service.

The Board has denied service connection for cervical spine condition, right knee condition, left wrist condition, right shoulder condition, and left shoulder condition. The Veteran's other conditions have been rated based on their current severity.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and diabetes mellitus, including as due to in-service exposure to an herbicide agent.,For bilateral hearing loss, the Board found that there was no evidence of a current disability related to active service. For diabetes mellitus, the Board concluded that there was no evidence linking it to active service.

The Board has found that the VA did not substantially comply with its prior remand directives and thus the case is being returned for further development to verify the Veteran's in-service exposure to herbicides.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicides in Korea, specifically at Hammond Field. The claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension are being returned for further investigation.

The Veteran's service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, is granted. The Board also finds that the Veteran meets the threshold schedular requirement for a TDIU based on his service-connected residuals of cold injury to the bilateral lower extremities.