Diabetes decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims related to hypertension, kidney disorder, bilateral eye disorder, type II diabetes mellitus, heart disorder, and erectile dysfunction. The Veteran's exposure to helicopter emissions is considered in these cases.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including colon polyp, bilateral knee pain, loss of memory, erectile dysfunction, partial loss of eyesight, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and ischemic heart disease were denied.,Service connection was not granted on a presumptive basis due to lack of evidence linking the conditions to exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment, thus the TDIU on an extraschedular basis is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hypertension secondary to diabetes mellitus prior to August 10, 2022 has been withdrawn. The Board dismissed the case as a result.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and to obtain medical opinions regarding the Appellant's mental health during his service, as well as whether he was insane at the time of discharge. The issues include character of discharge, reopening service connection claims, and service connection for various conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus and heart disability due to in-service high cholesterol, as there is an open question regarding whether the Veteran had a diagnosed heart condition prior to his death. The AOJ must obtain additional evidence related to five coronary artery bypass grafts documented in August 2018 private treatment records.

The Board has denied service connection for heart disease and diabetes mellitus, finding that there is no evidence of in-service injury or exposure to Agent Orange. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral lower extremity diabetic neuropathy is being remanded for further evaluation as the current evidence does not sufficiently address all nerves impacted by his condition.

The Veteran requested withdrawal of all issues related to diabetes, bilateral upper extremity polyneuropathy, bilateral lower extremity polyneuropathy, and erectile dysfunction. The Board dismissed the appeal due to this request.

The Board denied service connection for a low back condition, diabetes mellitus type 2, and hypertension. The evidence did not support the Veteran's claims of in-service injury or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia/lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma with anemia, and diabetes mellitus were granted secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The effective date of these grants is August 10, 2022.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia/lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma with anemia, and diabetes mellitus were granted secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The effective date of these grants is August 10, 2022.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia/lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma with anemia, and diabetes mellitus were granted secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The effective date of these grants is August 10, 2022.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia/lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma with anemia, and diabetes mellitus were granted secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The effective date of these grants is August 10, 2022.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia/lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma with anemia, and diabetes mellitus were granted secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The effective date of these grants is August 10, 2022.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral lower extremity diabetic neuropathy is being remanded for further evaluation as the current evidence does not sufficiently address all nerves impacted by his condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disability due to insufficient nexus opinions in the VA examinations.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type I and related peripheral neuropathies are granted as service connected, with the conditions being secondary to his service-connected diabetes.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus type II, finding no in-service injury or disease, and the evidence does not show a nexus to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in duty to assist and the need for additional medical opinions regarding the cause of death.

The Board denied service connection for diabetic macular edema, right eye and retinopathy and nuclear cataracts, both eyes (claimed as right eye condition) due to the lack of a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Board dismissed the appeals regarding the reduction of ratings for diabetic neuropathy of both lower extremities from 60 percent to 20 percent effective April 1, 2021.

The Veteran's diabetic nephropathy is being remanded for further review as it may be secondary to his diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction. The main issue on appeal remains the service connection of diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus, type II (diabetes) as the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's diabetes requires regulation of activities.