Diabetes decisions — 2023

The Veteran is granted an effective date of August 21, 2019 for SMC based on aid and attendance due to his service-connected bilateral upper extremity disabilities.

The Veteran's initial rating for diabetes mellitus, type II is denied as the medical evidence does not support a need for regulation of activities due to his condition.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, claimed as lumbar spondylosis, herniated L5-S1, and chronic pain of the lumbosacral area. The claims for diabetes mellitus type II, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy are remanded.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed to be related to his in-service exposure to herbicides. The issue of service connection for DM on a direct and secondary basis remains unresolved.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted. The Board found that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his service and this exposure is presumed to cause the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for cirrhosis, DM2, and esophageal varices are all granted. Cirrhosis is related to TCE exposure during service. DM2 is also related to TCE exposure. Esophageal varices are secondary to the now-service-connected cirrhosis.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection of diabetes mellitus, type II (DM) has been granted. The case is remanded for further development including obtaining private medical records and scheduling an examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right foot disorder, plantar fasciitis, and other related conditions are not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing onset or relationship to service. The issues of respiratory, heart, sleep, and fatigue disorders have been remanded for further review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examinations and lack of medical evidence supporting the Veteran's assertions.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy were granted with effective dates of December 6, 2017.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type I (DM1) as there was no in-service incurrence or aggravation of the condition, and continuity of symptomatology has not been established.

The Board has remanded several claims for increased ratings, including those for diabetes mellitus type II with hypertension and erectile dysfunction, PTSD, diabetic neuropathy of the left upper and lower extremities, and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also pending.

The Board denied service connection for atherosclerotic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension as secondary to atherosclerotic heart disease, shortness of breath as secondary to diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities. The denial is based on lack of evidence of herbicide exposure in Korea.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for the residuals of a fractured left little finger was denied as there is no evidence that his condition more nearly approximates functional loss resulting from amputation of the left little finger.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus and right eye condition were both denied as the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's period of service.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, and ischemic heart disease due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetic neuropathy, diabetes mellitus type II, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, hearing loss, tinnitus, and sciatic nerve radiculopathy, preclude him from obtaining or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetic nephropathy is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board has determined that this rating is not sufficient to meet his claim for a higher disability rating.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, cardiovascular disability to include IHD and/or CAD, and prostate cancer residuals are granted on a presumptive basis due to herbicide agent exposure in Thailand under the PACT Act. However, service connection for these conditions is also remanded to determine if they were incurred during active duty.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to increased evaluations for right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy prior to December 17, 2019 due to inadequate examination reports.