Diabetes decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including type II diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy, all potentially related to herbicide exposure during his time at Fort Gordon, Georgia. The AOJ is instructed to verify the Veteran's alleged exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's diabetes, bilateral lower extremity diabetic neuropathy, and kidney disorder are related to his service in Southwest Asia. The claims must be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's initial rating for diabetes mellitus type 2 was denied, but an effective date of July 21, 2015, and special monthly compensation were granted. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction and left/right sciatic peripheral neuropathy were not rated higher than the assigned levels.

The Veteran's initial claim for higher ratings and earlier effective date for sleep apnea was denied. The Board also found that the Veteran is not entitled to a TDIU prior to November 4, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetic retinopathy, gastrointestinal disorder, and hypothyroidism due to Camp Lejeune exposure are denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for internal hemorrhoids, glaucoma, and hypertension as secondary to diabetes mellitus are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral foot swelling (edema) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's heart condition is not related to active service or exposure to herbicide agents.,Diabetes was not shown during service, did not develop within one year of separation from service, and is not related to exposure to herbicide agents. The Veteran's diabetes developed more than one year after separation from service.,Arthritis is not related to active service and did not develop within one year of separation from service.,The chronic pain condition (fibromyalgia) is not related to active service and did not develop within one year of separation from service.,Left ear hearing loss was not shown during service, and the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss does not meet VA standards for a disability. The examiner opined that it is less likely than not related to an event or injury during active service.

The Veteran's application to reopen claims for service connection for DMII, PTSD, and CAD have been granted. The claim for service connection for CAD is granted under the PACT Act presumption of exposure to herbicide agents in Guam. The claims for DMII and PTSD are remanded due to lack of verification of stressors.,The Veteran's application to reopen a claim for service connection for DMII has been granted, with the issue being granted under the PACT Act presumption of exposure to herbicide agents in Guam. The claim for service connection for CAD is also granted under the PACT Act presumption of exposure to herbicide agents in Guam.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities, as well as for peripheral arterial occlusion of the lower extremities. The Veteran's current diagnoses are being evaluated to determine if they are related to his military service.,The Board has also remanded the claim for diabetes mellitus, as well as the claims for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities. These claims will be reviewed to determine if there is a nexus between the Veteran's current diagnoses and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral lower and upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, residuals of a gallbladder disability, back disability, and diabetic retinopathy due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The claims for secondary service connection have also been granted.

The Board denied entitlement to service connection for the cause of death, circulation problems in bilateral legs, and strokes.,The evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions were related to the Veteran's active service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional error in obtaining a relevant Army report. The Veteran's cause of death is also being remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension because the submitted evidence was not new and relevant.

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease and diabetes mellitus type II (DM-2) are granted as service-connected due to exposure to herbicide agents. The Veteran's cluster migraines remain in dispute.,The Veteran's DM-2 is denied a rating greater than 20 percent, with no compensable complications noted.

The Veteran's diabetes is related to his exposure to herbicide agents during service at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, and the Board has granted service connection for type 2 diabetes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Parkinson's disease and diabetes mellitus, both secondary to herbicide exposure, are remanded due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain a new medical opinion regarding the Veteran's diabetes, as the current opinions are inadequate and do not address the causation or aggravation of the condition by service-connected PTSD and sleep apnea.

The Board has determined that the Appellant is a proper substitute claimant for the claims pending at the time of the Veteran's death. As such, the service connection claims for ischemic heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and bipolar disorder with psychotic episodes are remanded for further adjudication.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including type II diabetes mellitus and associated neuropathies, as well as his gunshot wound to the left shoulder, rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment prior to July 27, 2023. From that date forward, the issue of TDIU is moot.

The Board has remanded the claims for Parkinson's disease, ischemic heart disease, and diabetes mellitus type II due to potential herbicide exposure while serving aboard the USS Enterprise and USS Coral Sea. The AOJ is instructed to verify the Veteran's exact location during his service, including whether he served in Korea near the DMZ.