Diabetes decisions — 2023

The claim to readjudicate service connection for diabetes mellitus based on the receipt of new and relevant evidence is granted. The claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since December 3, 2012. A total disability rating for compensation due to service-connected disabilities on an extraschedular basis is granted as of November 3, 2017.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is associated with weight gain caused by his service-connected PTSD medication, Seroquel. The Board granted service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to hypertension, which was found to be related to his service-connected lumbar spine disorder. The appellant's representative argued that material evidence had not been considered in the July 2023 decision, leading to its vacatur and a de novo determination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not service-connected due to a lack of evidence supporting exposure to herbicide agents or other toxic contaminants during his military service.

The Board has granted a TDIU from June 15, 2018, based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluding him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, depressive disorder, TBI, and related disabilities, were denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or link to service.

The Board has found that the medical opinions provided are inadequate and requires a new opinion regarding whether the Veteran had diabetes and/or peripheral neuropathy, and if so, whether these conditions contributed to his death. The issues of service connection for cause of death and burial benefits are remanded due to their interdependence.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in the effective date of TDIU and further development is needed. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities include diabetes, prostate cancer, peripheral neuropathy, tinnitus, hearing loss, and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's respiratory disability, diagnosed as COPD, is granted service connection.,His diabetes mellitus, type II, secondary to his service-connected hepatitis C, is also granted.

The claim for diabetes mellitus type II due to herbicide exposure was denied as the Veteran did not serve in or near the Korean DMZ during the relevant period. The claims for acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, right shoulder disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and low back disability are all remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease, type II diabetes mellitus, and hypertension due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Guam. The Veteran's conditions are considered presumptive under the PACT Act.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to a lack of evidence supporting herbicide exposure during active service, and thus, denial of presumptive service connection.

The Board has remanded the cases due to an error in verifying the Veteran's route from San Diego to USS Constellation at Yankee Station, which reportedly involved travel from Da Nang Air Base. The claims are now pending for further investigation.

The Board denied service connection for heart disability, left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and diabetes mellitus type II due to lack of evidence supporting herbicide exposure in service.

The Board has determined that the appeal was erroneously docketed under the Modernized Appeals System (AMA) and is dismissed. The issues will be addressed in a decision under the legacy system at a later date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's substantive appeal was timely filed, and thus grants his claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for diabetic retinopathy and dry eye syndrome is remanded. The claim for a separate compensable disability rating for these conditions is also remanded due to its inextricability with the effective date issue.

The Veteran's type II diabetes, prostate cancer, IHD, and hypothyroidism are granted service connection based on exposure to herbicide agents in the Korean DMZ. Service connection for ED is also granted as secondary to his prostate cancer.