Diabetes decisions — 2023

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2 and remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's current diagnoses and their relationship to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is rated at 20 percent effective July 26, 2019. The Board denied higher ratings for the condition and also denied increased ratings for erectile dysfunction and bilateral diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities.

The Board has determined that discontinuance of the 100 percent rating for service-connected stroke associated with Type II diabetes mellitus, effective June 1, 2022, was proper.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for Parkinson's disease, sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, and erectile dysfunction. The evidence did not show a nexus to service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and reduction of disability ratings were dismissed due to the failure to timely file a Notice of Disagreement (NOD).

The Board has found that new and relevant evidence has been received to readjudicate the claim of service connection for diabetes. The Veteran's testimony during his August 2022 hearing is both new and relevant to the question of service connection for diabetes.

The motion to revise the October 2018 rating decision was granted, granting service connection for diabetes mellitus and diabetic peripheral sensory neuropathy of both lower extremities due to a history of diabetes. The appeal is mixed as some issues were granted while others were not.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to August 10, 2022, for the grant of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, is remanded due to a duty to assist error. The Board finds that obtaining a VA examination and medical opinion regarding the etiology of the diabetes mellitus would have been necessary.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for COPD, prostate cancer, and diabetes mellitus type II due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran's exposure to herbicides is also unclear.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is granted a 50% rating effective November 10, 2018. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II remains at a 20% rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II and his service-connected bilateral flat feet. The VA needs to provide a new opinion addressing whether the diabetes was caused or aggravated by the flat feet.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus type II, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and industrial background. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The appeal has been dismissed due to the death of the Appellant, and no final decision can be made on the merits.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II due to in-service exposure to herbicide agents at Ubon Air Force Base in Thailand, finding that the Veteran was exposed on a facts-found basis. The claim is not based on the new PACT Act presumption.

The Board has restored the Veteran's ratings for left and right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy from February 22, 2022. The reduction in rating was found to be improper due to lack of improvement.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the service connection for diabetes mellitus, Type II. A VA examination is required to determine if the condition is related to active military service and/or conceded participation in a toxic exposure risk activity (TERA).

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his heart problems and diabetes to service or any service-connected conditions. The Board also found that he did not have exposure to herbicide agents during service in Korea.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine degenerative disc disease and remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, type II, a left shoulder disability, and a higher rating for lumbar strain.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes and its associated complications, as well as erectile dysfunction and diabetic nephropathy, finding no evidence of herbicide exposure in Panama that would warrant a presumption of service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus as secondary to PTSD, a higher rating for PTSD, and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. Additional medical opinions are needed regarding the etiology of the Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus.